To Make A Choice
by Isildwen
Summary: This story is about Aragorn and Legolas, their friendship and love, how they grow up and find their own places and roles. Very fluffy AL. Completed.
1. Default Chapter

**Disclaimer:** Most of the characters are J.R. Tolkien's, not mine.

**Rating**: PG-13 – to be on the safe side, for fluffy, non-explicit m/m.

**Summary:** This story is a sequel to First Meetings, but can be read by itself. It tells the story of Aragorn's and Legolas' friendship and love, how they grow up and find their own places and roles. Much of it is Elrond's PoV. Very fluffy A/L. Complete.

**Time:** About 70 years before LoTR.

**Author's note:** This story was my first fanfiction ever. I started writing it because I wanted to create a story that was roughly in line with both book and movie canon (with some liberties), where the characters stayed 'in character', and which dealt with developing relationships between characters, both of a general and romantic nature. There were to be no female inserts (they always smack of Mary Sue), and I did not want to over- emphasise Arwen's role since she does not play an important role in the book. But I wanted some romance, soI ended up with m/m relationships. There are no explicit or graphic scenes, it is all very fluffy. But you have been warned, if you do not like this or cannot cope with it, please do not continue. This has not been beta-ed, all errors are mine. Please read and review, flames are not accepted.

_June 2005: This story is currently being edited chapter by chapter, there may be some minor inconsistencies._

**To Make a Choice**

**Chapter 1**

Elrond, Lord of Rivendell, sat at his desk, working on some trade agreements. He was restless, unable to concentrate on the documents in front of him. With a sigh he looked out of the window, only to see his twin sons, Elladan and Elrohir, practicing their archery skills.

Suddenly there was a commotion as two riders approached the yard. With a surprised smile Elrond saw that it was Estel, his adopted human son. His smile faded somewhat when he saw that Estel's companion was Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood and heir of King Thranduil.

Legolas was young for an elf, indeed he had only reached his majority about twenty five years ago, which made him a very young elf. He was also the son of King Thranduil of the Mirkwood Realm, and Lord Elrond and Thranduil had not been on good terms since the War of the Last Alliance three thousand years ago.

Estel and Legolas had known each other since Estel had been about fifteen years old. Elrond and his sons had visited Lasgalen, and it was on this first visit that Estel and Legolas became friends. They also fell in love with each other, but kept that quiet for a while. Since then, the young man had passed his coming of age, and the relationship between him and the prince had deepened over time.

Elrond had spoken to Estel about this relationship, the difficulties it relationship presented both for the young people and their fathers. He was convinced that Thandruil was equally unimpressed by this connection, and probably even less tolerant since Estel was not an elf, which added yet another dimension to the issue. However, neither father had succedded in breaking the relationship between the two, and finally an uneasy truce was reached.

Estel would travel to Mirkwood for several weeks a year. He did not talk much about these visits, and Elrond suspected that his welcome was not a warm one. However, Estel seemed to consider this price worthwhile paying to see Legolas. He was now a grown man, albeit a young one, so Elrond had decided to let him make his own decisions and keep the doors of his home open for his son and his friend, although he was well aware that Legolas' welcome in Imladris had always been a cool one.

As his son and his friend approached, Elrond observed his son and his lover. Estel was tall, and for a human, slender and graceful. His dark hair was long and tied with a catch at the back of his neck to keep it out of his face. His face was clean shaven and had not yet lost its all of its boyish roundness, with sensitive features and grey eyes. He wore a simple brown tunic and dark leggings. At his coming of age a few years ago, he had been told of his heritage as Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This had come as a shock to him, but Elrond suspected that in many ways Estel had not really taken on board the significance of this information. For the time being he was Estel Elrondion of Imladris.

Legolas was of about the same height as Estel, but much slighter in built, although every movement betrayed a subtle strength. He was very graceful, with a fine-featured face and blue eyes so dark that they looked almost black. His long blond hair was usually braided away from his face in Mirkwood warrior fashion. Elrond knew that the young elf had a reputation as a superb archer and outstanding swordsman. However, Elrond had very rarely seen Legolas smile or indeed betray any emotion at all. He always looked slightly aloof to the point of arrogance, a trait that Elrond did not appreciate in a partner for any of his sons. He just hoped that Estel would not get hurt in this relationship.

Elrond gave up his position on the balcony and made his way down stairs to welcome his son and his friend. Elladan and Elrohir had already abandoned their archery practice and were approaching the two newcomers. Elrond observed with interest the interaction between the four young people.

As soon as the two riders were within the courtyard, the twins ran up to their brother. Elrohir pulled Estel from his horse, hugging him, laughing and talking. Elladan joined into the happy melee. Legolas was for the time being ignored. He slipped gracefully of his horse and also took the reins of Estel's horse to lead the horses in the direction of the stables.

o-o-o-

Legolas sighted inwardly. He had not looked forward to coming to Rivendell. He knew only too well that Lord Elrond and his sons did not appreciate his relationship with Estel but tolerated his presence for Estel's sake. It was, of course, not much different when Estel visited Mirkwood. Therefore Legolas most liked the times when he and Estel were alone hunting or travelling. But both Aragorn and himself had duties in their respective homes and these needed to be seen to.

Legolas also did not feel very well, in fact, as he got of the horse, he realised that he was not feeling well at all. Three days ago they had traded a few meat pies from a group of men they had encountered on the way between Lasgalen and Rivendell. They had eaten them and almost immediately afterwards, his stomach had started to revolt and he had not been able to keep down any food or drink since. Estel had also felt slightly unwell but it had passed quickly. Legolas was certain that he had food poisoning – elves do not get ill, but they will suffer the effects of poison. By the time they arrived at Rivendell, he had a severe headache and was feeling nauseous and slightly shaky. Legolas had tried hard not to let his friend know how poorly he felt because he knew how much Estel had looked forward to seeing his family gain. They had been on the road for several months and for a young human, this was a long time.

For the time being, however, Estel was busy greeting his brothers and his father, who had come to join the three youngsters.

Legolas quietly led the horses to the stables. Of course he could have let a servant do this, but it gave him an opportunity to slip away unnoticed. He quickly took the saddle of Estel's horse (his friend preferred to ride with a saddle, whereas Legolas himself usually rode bareback) and removed the packs from both horses. He then found a cloth and rubbed both horses down. Afterwards, he quietly made his way to the house and to the room in which he stayed when he was in Rivendell. Despite the tensions, Lord Elrond's hospitality was always faultless, and Legolas had come to view this particular room as somewhat of a refuge when he found the strain of dealing with subtle hostility too much.

He made it to 'his' room unnoticed, and took of his boots and outer tunic. He also quickly unbraided his hair. Only dressed in a light shirt and leggings, he curled up on the bed, pressing a cushion against his cramping stomach. He hoped that the effects of whatever it was that had been in the food would wear of soon; he knew that he was dehydrating and needed to be able to keep down fluid. But so far, every attempt even just with clear water had ended in a retching fit. Once he had lain down, he realised how weary he was and with a sigh of relief, closed his eyes and gave in to sleep.

o-o-o-

In the meantime, Estel was looking for Legolas. He appreciated his friend's thoughtfulness in letting him greet his family by himself, but it was time for Legolas to be greeted as well, even if this was only to make a point.

Estel had seen Legolas leading away the horses and went to the stables. Seeing both horses contently munching on some food, he wondered where Legolas had gone to. He decided that probably a good bet was the garden, which Legolas liked, and where he often spent much time.

Elrond, too, had noticed Legolas' absence, but had interpreted this in a rather different way. He thought of it as shirking an unpleasant event, knowing that the young elf was aware of the fact that he was not truly welcome. However, an elf Lord has certain duties, and greeting guests was one of them. So Elrond made his way up to the guest room, where Legolas usually stayed. He knocked on the door, but there was no response, so he opened it.

Much to his surprise, Legolas was asleep on the bed – with his eyes closed. Elrond's instinct was to touch the young prince and to wake him, but on second thoughts he stood there and looked at this elf, who meant so much to Estel.

Legolas looked unwell. He was very pale with small beads of sweat on his forehead, and slightly flushed cheeks. Elrond's extensive experience as a healer told him that the young elf had a fever, very rare for elves. His position also indicated discomfort in the stomach or abdomen. Most worryingly of all, his eyes were closed, dark lashes stark against pale skin, indicating a high level of exhaustion and weariness. Elves do not usually sleep with their eyes closed.

Apart from all this, Elrond was startled by how young and vulnerable the prince looked. Elrond has always known that Thandruil's son was younger than his own twins and his daughter, but at this moment it struck Elrond forcefully that in elven terms, Legolas was barely out of childhood. For that, the young prince displayed a surprising maturity in his behaviour when dealing with the rather cold welcome he always experienced in Rivendell.

At this moment, there was no trace of the expression of haughtiness that he usually wore, and it was then that Elrond realised he had never truly looked at Legolas. This thought came as a shock to him, after all, he had seen Legolas regularly for a number of years.

Elrond regarded the young elf a long moment in silence. 'I have never given him a chance', he thought with regret. 'I have never even tried to get to know him, and to find out what it is that Estel sees in him. But perhaps it is not yet too late.'

But first things first. Elrond's healer instinct kicked in and he slightly touched Legolas' shoulder to wake him. Legolas woke up with a start and on seeing Lord Elrond bend over him, he sat up quickly, his face setting into the familiar aloof expression.

"Greetings, Lord Elrond. Please forgive my impoliteness in not greeting immediately after my arrival. I must have been more tired than I realised from our travels."

"Legolas, do not worry about this. I can tell you are not well – you slept with your eyes closed. What happened to you?"

"It is nothing", said Legolas "I am just weary"

"Do not lie to me, young one, my healer instinct tells me that something is wrong with you." With his remark, Elrond stretched out his hand and lightly touched Legolas' forehead.

"You are running a fever. Tell me what happened."

Knowing there was no point in further denying the obvious, Legolas recounted the incident with the meat pies and how they had affected him. Elrond looked at him.

"Tell me how you feel."Elrond demanded.

Legolas complied; he was also now shivering, a fact that Elrond noticed immediately.

"Legolas, get out of these clothes and under the covers. I will bring you some tea to flush the poison from the food out of your system. It will also make you sleep. And before you ask, it will stay down – it is made for instances such as this."

At his moment, Estel arrived at the door. He saw his father and Legolas, and also immediately realised that Legolas was not well.

"What is going on? Legolas, why did you not tell me you were feeling so poorly?"

"I did not want to spoil your homecoming. You were so much looking forward to coming home – I did not want you to be worried about me."

Estel stepped forward and embraced Legolas. "You silly elf, it would not have mattered to be a bit later"

"Father, is there anything you can do?"

Elrond smiled at his son. "Of course there is. It is just a case of some food poising, in a day or two, Legolas will be fine again. I was just leaving to prepare some tea for him. He is supposed to undress and get into bed. Alone" he said with emphasis and a smile. Legolas blushed and returned the smile.

Again, Elrond winced inwardly. He has smiled at me so few times ... in all these years...,' he thought regretfully.

When he returned, Legolas wore his sleep clothes and laid in bed. He looked very tired. After drinking the tea, he fell promptly asleep. Elrond accompanied Estel to his room and said to Estel: "We need to talk".

Estel braced himself for yet another unpleasant conversation about his relationship with Legolas. He sat down on his bed, Elrond sat in a chair facing the foot of the bed. Estel was surprised when his father said:

"I know very well that you care much for Legolas. But I do not understand what you see in him – he is very attractive, is that it? What else makes him special to you?"

Estel was taken aback by this unexpected question, and was silent for a few moments before he replied:

"This is difficult to answer. Probably one of the most important things is that I can be myself with him. He accepts me simply for whom I am. We know each other well and can trust each other fully in any situation. Very often, we can almost read each other's thoughts." Estel paused and continued with a slight blush: "Yes, I also find him attractive but it is much more than this ... maybe better I can show you what he means to me".

With these words, Estel got up from the bed and started rummaging in his still packed travelling pack. He retrieved a small leather-bound book that Elrond had never seen before.

"Last time we were in Lasgalen, one of Legolas' friends made this for me. Legolas has one as well." He opened the little book. It contained a series of pencil sketches showing Legolas in a variety of everyday situations. What struck Elrond was that in none of the pictures, Legolas looked arrogant or aloof, on the contrary, the drawings reflected the image of a young elf with great personal charm and a ready smile.

"Which is your favourite?" Elrond asked quietly after having flipped through the entire booklet.

"I cannot decide between these two." Estel pointed at two of the drawings. One of them showed Legolas laying on his stomach on grass, his face cupped in the palm of his left hand, deeply engrossed in a book. The second one showed Legolas leaning against a tree in a forest glade, an expression of supreme happiness on his face. Both showed aspects of Legolas' personality Elrond had not been aware of. But then, he admitted to himself, he really did not know the young wood-elf at all.

He turned to his son. "I have wronged you and Legolas. I have never given him a chance, have I? I have always only seen his father in him. And of course, having been raised at Thandruil's court, Legolas reacted defensively."

Estel was silent. This admission by his father surprised him, but it also saddened him. How much easier it would have been if it had come earlier! But, he thought, better late than never. Perhaps this summer will be better then we both thought.

Elrond continued: "I will talk to Elladan and Elrohir. They, too, should at least try to get along with Legolas. Even if it is for your sake only."

"Thank you father. I had not expected this."

Elrond smiled sadly, the regret showing clearly in his grey eyes. He quickly leaned over and hugged Estel. "Perhaps it is not yet too late, my son. Come, let us check on Legolas before we go to bed."

Legolas was sound asleep, looking less flushed. His eyes were not closed any longer but had opened into the half-lidded gaze of normal elven-sleep.

**TBC**.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 – To Make A Choice**

Long after Estel had gone to bed, Elrond was still pacing up and down his room. He could not find peace, his thoughts returned to how Legolas had looked sleeping and the tenderness that Estel displayed towards the young elf in private or when he thought himself unobserved. There was obviously much more between the two than met the eye, but then, he had known that for years. The two youngsters must have had developed a strong bond for it to survive the combined pressures of both families. Elrond vowed to himself to get to know Legolas better and thus also reduce the tensions with Estel.

Early next morning, Elrond went to Legolas' room. He was quite convinced that the young elf would be up and about, Elrond knew that Legolas was an early riser. However, when he knocked at the door, there was no response and after only a brief hesitation, Elrond pushed the door open.

Much to his surprise he found Legolas still asleep, curled up in his bed, covers and sleep clothes askew so that part of his bare back showed where his tunic had travelled up. His face was hidden under his tangled hair. Perhaps the sleeping draught in the tea had affected him more than it should have done due to the effects of dehydration.

Quietly Elrond turned to leave the room, but Legolas had somehow felt his presence and woken up. Surprised to find the elf lord in his room at this time of the day, he quickly sat up, swinging his legs out of the bed.

"Lord Elrond?"he said somewhat questioningly, still looking very sleepy.

"Legolas, I apologise for waking you. I know that you normally rise early, and I just came to check that you are well. I had not intended to wake you, and will leave you to rest,"answered Elrond, turning again towards the door.

"I am feeling much better. Thank you for your concern and your help," Legolas looked at Elrond, his dark blue eyes now clearly focused. All of a sudden it struck him as odd that Elrond had wanted to check on him at such an early hour. Somehow he intuitively knew that there was more.

"Lord Elrond," Legolas hesitated, "Somehow I have the feeling that concern for me was not the only reason for you to come here..." He did not finish the sentence and left it hanging.

For a long moment Elrond looked at the younger elf, surprised at his perceptiveness and wondering how to respond. He decided that the best way forward was to be honest. His grey eyes looked with Legolas' blue ones, and he said: "Yesterday evening I had a long talk with Estel, and I asked him what it is about you that he likes so much."

With a smile, Elrond continued, "He told me much about you and showed me the little books of drawings that your friend made for him. I have known for some time that he cares deeply for you."

"Legolas, I have done you a great injustice. I have only ever seen your father in you, and have never tried to get to know you for yourself." Legolas looked at him in surprise. This was not at all what he had expected; he had half anticipated a lecture about his relationship with Estel, knowing well that Elrond did not approve of their relationship.

Elrond continued, "I would be glad to get to know you, Legolas Greenleaf, if you are willing to accept this offer after such a long time." Legolas was too shocked to respond immediately. After all these years – he wondered what had brought this change of mind. It was only much later that Elrond told him it had been the moments when he had seen Legolas sleeping that had allowed him to see beyond the aloof mask that Legolas usually wore when in Imladris.

Elrond waited and when Legolas did not react bar staring at him, his eyes saddened and he turned to leave. But he had not yet reached the door when he heard Legolas say very quietly, "Please do not leave. I appreciate your offer. It just comes as a bit of a surprise."

Elrond turned and looked at the younger elf. Legolas sat on the edge of the bed, still in his sleep clothes, with his long light hair tangled. Elrond sat in the big chair at the end of the bed, looking at him, and asked gently: "Why are you attracted to Estel? You are beautiful and of royal blood, I am certain that many elves, male and female, would give much to be your partner or your friends. Why did you choose my human son?"

Legolas had blushed deeply at Elrond's words, and then sat quietly for a moment. He played with a strand of his hair and then resolutely pushed it out of his face and looked at Elrond. "You are quite right, "he answered with an exasperated sigh.

"Since I have been a young child, I have had many admirers, as you have guessed. But all of them were just interested in how I looked. None ever asked how I felt or what my wishes or desires were." Elrond was not surprised by this statement. Good looks could be a blessing and a curse, and Legolas was exceptionally beautiful even for an elf.

He stopped speaking but Elrond sensed that he was about to continue. Elrond was an experienced listener and knew that expectant silence often encouraged more than many words.

Legolas sighed again and said very quietly, with a trace of bitterness in his voice: "I would have given much for not having admirers but friends when I was younger. But there were always too many differences. There was nothing more that I wanted than to train as a warrior with the other novices. But being a prince, this was not considered appropriate. So I had my own trainers, the very best. I was not permitted to compete in training competitions, since my private tuition was perceived as an unfair advantage."

"But still, one day I managed to persuade my father to let me go on a training mission with the other novices. It was not a success. The others made sure oft that in very way possible. They paid me back for every advantage they thought I had over them by being born a prince. Not once did it occur to them that I never wanted that role. They knew that I would never complain to my father since I had to argue so hard to be allowed to go in the first place." Legolas stopped, surprised at himself. "I am sorry, Lord Elrond, I am rambling and must bore you.'Why am I talking about all of this? It is of no interest to Lord Elrond', he thought to himself.

Elrond looked at the young elf with compassion. He felt deep sorrow for the young being in front of him. To grow up without friends for centuries must have been very hard for the young prince. Elrond was surprised that the young elf had retained a capacity for love and friendship at all.

"During that summer when you and Estel came to visit, three of these novices ... tried to take to take advantage of me," the young elf's voice had gone quiet, and he looked down at his knees. 'Why am I telling him this? Only very few people know about this.' But something inside Legolas had opened up and the words had rushed out. "After this incident I vowed to myself that no one would ever touch me again without my consent, and I became skilled at defending myself with knife and bow."

Elrond nodded slightly. He had always wondered why a prince had felt it necessary to become such an expert warrior

"Does your father know of this?" Elrond asked quietly. Legolas looked at his knees and answered in an almost inaudible voice "No. Nothing of any consequence happened." Elrond winced at these words, it hurt him to see that a young elf like Legolas had already been through so much pain.

Legolas continued. "But this incident did have one good outcome. It was almost as if it had opened doors for me, perhaps it was that I did not make a big issue of it or tell my father. Some of the other young elves decided that they would want to give me a chance, and after a while I was finally able to fit in and make some friends."

Slightly louder Legolas said: "And then, you came to visit Mirkwood with your sons and I met Estel for the first time. I was curious about him because I had never been in close contact with a human before and on first glance, he did not appear very different from us. So once I had a chance to talk to him, I did, and we soon discovered we had much in common. I liked him immediately because he spoke to me as Legolas Greenleaf, not the prince of Mirkwood. It was so refreshing! We had a good time that first evening." Legolas looked up and stopped. He smiled at the memory.

"I remember this. You two disappeared for most of the evening."

"Then, later, I discovered how special Estel really was. He always allowed me to be myself, never forcing me into a role. I can simply be myself with him. When I realised that he was attracted to me, I was not surprised, after all, many people have been attracted to me, but I was also very afraid of being used." Legolas looked at Elrond. "I always thought that no one would truly care for me."

Elrond looked at the beautiful young elf in front of him. Quietly he moved from the chair to the bed, laying his arm across Legolas' slender shoulders. He could feel the tenseness underneath his arm. For a moment, Legolas sat stiffly and then, to Elrond's surprise, the younger elf leaned against him with a sigh.

Legolas finally looked up at Elrond and smiled a sad little smile that did not reach his eyes. Elrond squeezed his shoulders, returned the smile and said: "I am glad you were so honest with me. It must have been difficult for you. But I understand much better now why you and Estel appreciate one another so much. Thank you for your trust, Legolas."

They sat together for a while in thoughtful silence, Elrond still holding the younger elf. After a while, he released Legolas' shoulders and rose. In an attempt to break the rather sombre mood between them, he said: "Get ready for the day so that you can get some food into your empty stomach. I see you in the Great Hall for breakfast".

TBC.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note:** Thank you all for the fantastic reviews. I could not believe it – this story has only been up for a day and I had 12 reviews. They have really encouraged and inspired me. I wanted to create something that is fluffy and yet well written, with well-rounded characters. It was lovely to get all the encouraging comments. 

For those who asked: After this chapter there will be much more Legolas/Aragorn interaction.

Thank you all! Please let me know how you like future chapters.

(By the way, English is not my first language, so please point out any grammar mistakes etc.)

**Chapter 3 - To Make A Choice**

Later that day, Elrond sought out his twin sons. He finally caught up with them on the training ground, practising sword fighting. He watched them for a while. Evenly matched, it was only the difference in personality that led to differences in fighting style. Elrohir, spontaneous and impulsive, was using all his considerable strength to press his brother. Elladan, however, evaded with quick, skilled steps and used only defensive moves until he saw an opening in his brother's defence and struck with lightening speed.

"Got you!" Elladan touched Elrohir's side with the tip of his sword.

"Again", Elrohir grumbled, less than impressed with his own performance, and slightly annoyed with his brother.

Elrond stepped forward and smiled at his sons. "Elrohir, you do not think enough about what you are doing, if you planned better, your fighting would improve." Elrohir simply nodded, he knew this. He was a competent swordsman but was sometimes let down by his impulsiveness.

"Father, what brought you here?" Elladan asked. Their father did not come out to the training ground often.

"I need to speak to you about Estel."

"What has happened? What is wrong with him?" Elrohir looked concerned.

"Nothing is wrong with him. It concerns Legolas."

Elrohir was frowning. "That princeling!" We should have kept him away from Estel years ago!"

Ellladan asked: "What is it, father?"

"I had a long talk with Legolas earlier. To my shame I have to admit that it is the first time in all the years he has coming here that I have done this. I am now deeply ashamed of having shunned him so much, I feel he should be given a chance to show us who he really is. Estel cares deeply for him, and I think Legolas' feelings for Estel are genuine as well."

"After all, we have not made him feel welcome here, and yet, for Estel's sake he has come back every year. Perhaps we should give him a chance."

Elrohir was stunned to hear this from his father. He said rather forcefully: "I do not believe there is much that is genuine about this wood-elf. Just watch the way he looks and dresses, and he never smiles. Estel could drop dead and he would not show any emotion! I really do not know why Estel puts up with him."

Elladan listened quietly to his brother's outburst. His own feelings towards Legolas were ambivalent. He somewhat agreed with Elrohir's sentiment but also knew that some of Legolas' outward coldness was due to defensiveness.

Elrond looked at his sons. "Legolas has no more influence over his looks than either of us have. And he dresses in the way that he is accustomed to. I have noticed that, unless pushed, he will not wear formal clothing, or trade on his rank. He could have asked for many privileges on his visits here, and they would have been his by right. But to my knowledge he has not done this once."

"Growing up as a prince is not much fun. I believe that Legolas learned early to hide any emotions very well, and it makes him appear cold and uncaring. But I have seen him smile at Estel, when they both believed themselves to be unobserved."

"He has got a sweet smile. Well, at least for Estel." Elladan said with a smile of his own. Elrond and Elrohir looked at him in surprise. "I have sometimes watched the two of them because I did not want Estel to get hurt. I am uncertain what I think of Legolas but I do not doubt that he truly loves our brother."

He continued: "I guess we have not given him much reason to be friendly, have we? If I had been in his position, I do not know whether I would have come back year after year. He must care much for Estel to have put up with all of us for all this time."

Elrohir looked at his brother in surprise. He had not expected his twin to defend Legolas. They had often talked about Legolas, and not in friendly terms. But the remark made him stop and think. Yes, Elladan was quite right. If he had been Legolas ... Elrohir shuddered at the thought of being as persistently ignored as the young Mirkwood warrior had been on his many visits.

Elrond saw the change in Elrohir's face. Both smiled. "Perhaps we should all try a little harder." Elrond was relieved. He had known that breaching this topic would not be easy with the twins, and was surprised that it had not been more difficult.

"Come. Let's go back to the house and find Estel and Legolas." Elrond put one arm each around the shoulders of his sons, and they walked back to the house, all three still thinking about the conversation they just had.

When they neared the courtyard, Elrond said: "There is one thing I am quite curious about, and neither Estel nor Legolas have ever told me this. How did they actually get together? Has Estel told either of you?"

Both twins grinned. It was very rare for their father to gossip, but then, this concerned their younger brother, so perhaps this was different. Elrohir just shook his head, he knew that his attitude had always been too negative for Estel to come and talk to him.

Somewhat to his surprise, Elladan said: "Well, I do not know much about the details but I know that they fell in love when we all went to Lasgalen together, in that summer when Estel was only fifteen years old. But Estel told me that they only made love the first time at his coming of age. Apparently, they both had had much more wine than they were accustomed to, and somehow or other ended up in Estel's room together. One thing led to another... Estel told me that they had both waited to be sure."

Elrond was shocked and released his sons' shoulders. He turned to face Elladan. "I knew that Estel fell for Legolas early but I am surprised that they were committed enough to each other to wait ... Estel was far too young to get into a serious relationship at that age! I knew it had been a while but I thought it was all physical, this does come as a surprise...I wonder whether Thandruil knows when Legolas got into this relationship. Legolas is still very young as well, it is not even thirty years since his maturity. He should not be in a serious relationship at all at his age, let alone in one that started years ago."

Elrond looked at his sons, sighing. "That is all a bit too late now anyway. I should have noticed earlier and perhaps put a stop to it. Although, I have talked to Estel many times and it has not done much good. So, let us try and help these two youngsters to be more at ease with themselves, and us, so that they smile a bit more often." Both twins nodded. It was worth a try.

**TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note: **Thanks, everyone, for the reviews. Please keep them coming! They really make my day and focus where I am going with this story – let me know what you like or don't like, or which gaps need filling. I have a long story planned, but the plot bunny can always alter its course a bit! 

Particular thanks to those who complemented on my writing skills, it means a lot to me since writing fiction in a second language presents its own challenges. Imagery does not translate very well...

**Chapter 4 - To make a choice**

Two months later.

It was a warm summer evening and Legolas sat at the bank of the Bruinen river, reflecting over the past weeks. Contrary to his expectations, this summer had turned out to be one of the best that he had ever had. Initially he had been wary when Lord Elrond's attitude towards him changed, and the twins stopped ignoring him. But after the talk with Lord Elrond and later talking to Estel, he decided not to reject what was offered and made an effort himself.

This, in turn, had meant that he could enjoy himself much more. Freed from his duties at the court of his father, and being together with Estel, he had relaxed and abandoned the role of the well-raised but aloof prince.

At his very moment he was sitting at the riverbank, wearing only leggings and dangling his feet in the water. Absentmindedly he skimmed some flat stones over the water surface, sending them bouncing. He was waiting for Estel. They had spent much time in this spot and he expected his friend to turn up here any moment.

"Want to go for a swim?" he heard a voice behind him. Looking up, he saw Estel approaching. He, too, wore only leggings, and his long dark hair was unbound bar two small side braids which kept it out of his face.

"Why not?" Quickly both Legolas and Estel shed their remaining clothes and slid into the water. Next to each other they swam quickly a while downriver, enjoying the cool water after a hot day. The summer so far had been a hot one, and they had spent much time in and at the river. Legolas' normally pale skin had tanned to a light golden brown and his hair had bleached to an almost white colour. Estel thought that he had never seen his partner look quite so healthy. Legolas, in turn, was surprised how brown Estel had turned, as his skin was usually quite light.

After swimming a while, they reached a small grassy bank sheltered by ancient trees. Needing no words, they both climbed out of the water at the same time. They laid down on the grass next to each other, enjoying the last rays of the fading sun. After a while, Estel said:

"Two rangers have arrived earlier today. They are concerned about increased orc activity further west, and have asked father if we could lend them support, since they do not have sufficient numbers to cover that area as well. Elladan and Elrohir have already volunteered; I would like to go too. How about you?"

Legolas was silent for a moment.

"It is nice to be here. It is so peaceful here – at home we have to fight orcs and spiders all the time. But this would be a good opportunity for you to gain some experience with humans. "Legolas looked intensely at Estel, who returned the gaze.

Both Estel and Legolas knew of Estel's heritage. Estel looked at his friend, concern beginning to cloud his features. "Legolas, I have grown up here and do not know much about men and their customs. From what little I have seen of them, I am not keen on being like them."

Legolas rolled over on his stomach and his dark eyes looked into his friend's troubled grey ones. "I know this, mellon nin, I have known for a long time. But you cannot deny that you are not an elf, nor are you immortal. One day you will have to decide which path to take – but you cannot chose without at least having some experience of both worlds. Besides, a little adventure might be fun"

Estel looked somewhat dubious at this reply, and frowned. However, when Legolas started kissing him gently, he said with a smile, "Let's enjoy the peacefulness of this place", and relaxed into his partner's embrace.

-o-o-o-

Later that evening Estel and Legolas joined Elrond and the twins in the family's common room. On previous visits, Legolas had always given his excuses early in the evening, both to avoid the tension that his presence caused, and to not spoil the evenings for Estel. However, in the last few weeks this had changed, and he joined Elrond's family regularly for their family time. This had given them a chance to get to know the young prince from Mirkwood better; and he was much more relaxed in their company.

Elrond had been very surprised to find that Legolas was an avid reader. Once given permission to roam Elrond's bookshelves, he had spent many hours in the preceding weeks browsing, reading and also clarifying many discrepancies he had found between texts in Imladris and those he had read at home, particularly concerning historical events.

Elrond had said: "Many records are written with a special purpose or for a particular person. They only reflect the parts of an event the author wants to see or describe; other elements are omitted or sometimes even falsified. Elvish writers are no different in this regard than others. It is always useful to read more than one account of a historical event."

Legolas had thought about this comment on many occasions since. All of a sudden, many of his father's records appeared to be very one-sided.

This evening, Legolas sat curled up in a big chair near the window with yet another big volume, dressed only in green leggings and a light brown tunic. For once, his light hair was completely unbraided and fell like a silky curtain across his shoulders. He was engrossed in the book and looked very comfortable.

Elrond thought, 'We have come a long way – a few short weeks ago having Legolas sitting like this here would have been unthinkable for all of us, including himself. He really is a very likeable young elf. I can see very well why Estel is attracted to him.'

With a smile he addressed the young prince: "Legolas, Estel told me that you have decided to go along to find out what is going on in the west. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Lifting his eyes from the book, Legolas grinned and replied: "I could not possibly let Estel go without me. He is too inexperienced."

"Elladan and Elrohir will be going."

"I think they can probably do with an extra archer. I am not bad with the knife either."

"If this is your wish, so be it. The rangers will be resting here for two days and then return. You will be leaving with them the day after tomorrow."

The door opened and the twins entered the room. Like Legolas and Estel, they had tanned much during the hot whether, which was unusual for the normally pale skinned Noldor elves.

On seeing Legolas curled up in his chair, Elrohir said: "We cannot let you get too comfortable, you might loose your edge. Elladan!"

With these words, the twins advanced on Legolas and lifted him out of his chair, resistance not withstanding. Depositing the younger elf on a large couch, they started tickling him until his eyes watered and he begged for mercy. It was at this point that Estel came in. Seeing his brothers holding down a very red faced Legolas, a look of concern crossed his face.

Legolas, slightly out of breath, sat up and said: "Elladan, Elrohir, that was unfair – two against one. You could have at least waited until Estel had come"

Legolas' and Estel's eyes locked and on an unspoken command, they both tackled one twin each. Taken by surprise, Elladan and Elrohir had to endure quite a few tickles before Elrond said: "This is enough. If you need to behave like puppies, take yourselves outside."

The four young people laughed, and then quieted down. Legolas quietly walked around the room until he stood in front of a large harp that stood in the corner. He had often looked at the instrument, it was finely made and had drawn his attention from the first time he entered this room. But until this moment he had not plugged up the courage to ask Elrond about the instrument, he sensed that this was not an ordinary harp.

He turned to face Elrond. "Who is playing this instrument?" Elrond tensed. He had felt this question coming but was still uncomfortable with it.

"Along time ago, I used to play this harp. But it has not been played in many years." Elrond hoped that this would be the end of the matter, the topic awakened some painful memories. He did not realise that his voice reflected the pain.

The twins and Estel were listening intently now. Elladan went to his father and lightly laid his hand on the older elf's arm. "Perhaps we should move this harp somewhere else. As you said, it is a long time since it has been played."

Legolas looked concerned. He had evidently touched unintentionally on something painful in Elrond's past. "I am sorry, I should not have been so curious", he said apologetically.

"There is nothing to apologise. You cannot know its story." With a sigh, Elrond continued. "You know that Estel's father Arathorn was killed by orcs. His mother Gilraen brought Estel here. She was broken by grief and sorrow. I played this harp often for her, to ease her pain, but she eventually faded from grief. I have not played this harp since her death. It reminds me too much of the many hours I spent playing this for her, trying to distract her from her sorrow."

Elrond looked straight at Legolas. "Can you play the harp?"

"Yes, I was required to learn how to play both the harp and the lute. Growing up at court it was expected."

Elrond nodded. "Why don't you tune this instrument and play something for us? This harp has not been used in far too long a time. Perhaps it is time to put the ghosts of the past to rest." The twins and Estel gasped. Neither of them had expected this.

"I thank you for your trust." Legolas took the instrument of its stand and began to tune it. Once finished, he looked up. "What would you like me to play?"

Elrohir said: "Something cheerful, please."

Legolas concentrated for a moment and then started to play. He chose a traditional dance tune, joyful and uplifting. After the first few notes, Estel and Elrohir began to tap the rhythm with their feet, both itching to dance to the tune, a well-known elvish tune known to all of them since childhood. When he finished, Elrond smiled.

"I thought you would be good at this. Please play something else – perhaps a ballad?"

Elrohir interrupted. "No, please play the same again." With a mischievous grin he added:" I taught Estel how to dance with that tune, and he was the maid. Let's see if he remembers his dancing lessons!"

Estel groaned. This was going to be embarrassing – the steps for this dance were complex, and he had not tried this in a long time. He glared at Elrohir.

Legolas said somewhat surprised: "But this is not an easy dance to learn and Estel is not ..." All of a sudden he realised that he was digging himself into a pit. He had intended to say that Estel was not an elf, and therefore mastering the dance would be even more difficult, but once he had opened his mouth, he realised how patronising this would have sounded.

Estel looked at him with a grin. He knew exactly what Legolas had wanted to say, and had heard versions of this many times.

He looked at his partner, somewhat challenging the half spoken assumption. "Go ahead, Legolas, and set a fast pace. Elrohir and I will cope."

Legolas nodded and began to play the introductory few notes. Elrohir and Estel took their places opposite from each other and formally bowed. Then the dance began. With relief Estel noticed that the many hours practicing this dance came back to him. His feet and body moved of their own accord, remembering and finding the right steps, twists and turns. After the first few notes, he allowed himself to become lost in the music and left his body to remember the tune and the steps. He looked at his dark-haired brother and smiled. This was fun, they had not done this in quite some time. The last twist and turn, the music faded, and the dance ended with a small bow from each of the dancers.

"Well, little brother, my efforts have not been in vain. Can I ask for another dance?"

Elrond got up and walked over to Legolas. "I think it is time for Legolas to have a dance. I will play." With these words, Elrond positioned himself behind the instrument. He closed his eyes briefly, both to allow the flooding memories to drain away and to decide on a suitable piece of music. It had indeed been a long time since he had played the harp. He chose another well-known dance tune, confident that all three of his sons and Legolas would know the piece.

"Elladan, it is your turn as well. Go on, partner with Elrohir, so that the four of you can do the formations properly."

Somewhat reluctantly Elladan got up and joined Legolas, facing Elrohir and Estel. The dance began, and soon all four were caught up focusing on their own moves and those of the others, stepping and turning, linking arms and meeting hands as required. After a while Elrond sped up the pace, and all four dancers had to concentrate even harder. When the dance ended, Elrond seamlessly led into a similar tune, somewhat slower, so that the dancers could catch their breath and relax their concentration.

And so he played, and they danced. Finally, Elrond slowed down and let the last few notes die down.

"I think it is time to stop. Thank you, Legolas, for asking about this harp. This evening has allowed me to put to rest a lot of memories."

"But before we go to bed, I would like to play another tune. This is for Estel and Legolas only, it is a dance for lovers, not for friends." Elrond smiled at his human son and his partner. It was the first time that he had openly acknowledged their relationship in front of others.

"Perhaps we should make a move then," Elrohir said. "I really enjoyed this evening. Thank you all." "Me, too", added Elladan. Whishing good night, the twins took their leave.

Elrond returned to the harp. Legolas and Estel stood somewhat awkwardly in the middle of the room.

Elrond began to play. It was a haunting tune, sensuous and sweet, simple and multilayered, crystal-clear notes speaking of dreams and love, togetherness and loss. After the first few notes, Estel took Legolas in his arms and held him close. Both shut their eyes, swaying to the music, loosing themselves in the sound and each other. Estel buried his head in Legolas' neck, letting the young elf take the lead. Legolas, too, had his eyes closed, and simply allowed his body to follow the rhythm of the harmony. Neither remembered later how long they danced, until in a final haunting rush of notes, the tune ended.

They stood embracing for a long time, until Elrond coughed quietly and brought them back to reality. Estel looked at his foster father. "Thank you for this gift, father."

Legolas said nothing; his eyes were brimming with tears. Elrond came up to them and embraced both of them briefly. He quietly left.

To have danced like this only once in his long life...

That night, Elrond did not find sleep. Too many memories had been awakened this evening. Gilraen... he had cared for her deeply, but in the grief for her fallen husband she had been unable to see the love and affection offered, and finally gave in to despair.

Estel and Legolas, too, did not retire to bed. They went outside into the garden and sat long under the stars, holding each other, enjoying their friendship and love.

**TBC.**


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Thanks, everyone, for your reviews. Yes, I admit it, I am a hopelessly fluffy person...  
  
There has been a bit of a delay with updating, well, real life got in the way- far too much happening at work, and no concentration left...  
  
Please read, enjoy and review ... I am less certain about this chapter than about the others, so any comments are very much appreciated.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 5 – To Make A Choice  
  
Next morning.  
  
Estel awoke because something cold was touching his face. He slowly opened his eyes, only to find a fully dressed, smiling Legolas bent over him. The 'something cold' had been a damp braid, the elf looked as if he had just come back from a cool morning swim in the river. His usually dark eyes were sparkling blue in the morning sun.  
  
"Wake-up, Estel," Legolas bent down again and gently kissed Estel. "You are all cold, go away," Estel turned to the side, determined to get some more sleep.  
  
"Estel, you need to get up. Your father is waiting us to introduce us to the rangers this morning. It is already quite late, breakfast must be well underway." Legolas sat down next to Estel, trying to pull his blanket away.  
  
"Come on, get up."  
  
With a groan and a sigh, Estel disentangled himself from his sleep covers, sat up and got out of bed. Sleepily he grabbed a towel and made his way to the washroom. Legolas looked after him and sighed. He loved the morning and could still not understand why Estel was so reluctant to get up in the mornings.  
  
After a few moments, Estel returned, looking much more awake. He, too, had had a wash, and his dark hair was damp and curling. He quickly chose some clothing, got dressed, and tied his hair back into a simple braid at the back of his neck.  
  
Legolas laughed. "Your hair is always such a mess!" Estel sighted, he had a long time given up worrying about his hairstyle. It would never be as neat as Legolas', and that was that.  
  
Estel smiled. "Let's go. Let us not make them wait any longer."  
  
The two friends made their way to the Great Hall, where they found Elrond, the twins and two unknown men in deep conversation.  
  
On their approach, Elrond and his table companions looked up and saw Legolas and Estel approaching. They looked radiantly happy. Elrond thought that since relationships had become less strained, both Estel and Legolas had been somewhat less discrete about their relationship and looked much happier for it.  
  
Elrond introduced the men at his table. "This is Halbarad", he introduced a tall dark haired man with the characteristic grey eyes of the rangers. He was dressed in dark breeches and tunic, even though the morning was already warm. His companion was Tharamir, similarly dressed, and appearing to be slightly younger.  
  
Elrond smiled at his foster son and his partner. "This is my youngest, Estel. He is my foster son. His parents died when he was young, and his family is kin of ours." Elrond did not explain Estel's true identity; it was not yet time for this to be revealed. Halbarad looked curiously at the young elf, or rather, he corrected himself mentally, young man. Although dressed in elvish clothes, and at first glance moving with the same gracefulness as the elves, this boy was clearly more human than elf. Immediately he had a suspicion about the identity of the lad, but since Elrond did not chose to talk about it, he held his tongue as well.  
  
"... and this is Legolas. Legolas is King Thandruil's son from the Woodland Realm." Halbarad focused again on Elrond's words. The ranger looked closely at the prince from Mirkwood, who looked quite different to the elves from Rivendell, with his light hair and dark blue eyes. The rangers had, of course, heard of Mirkwood, and many of the rumours gave cause to be wary. But these two men were rangers, and they had enough dealings with elves not to be overly suspicious.  
  
Both Legolas and Estel gave the formal elven greeting, a half bow with their arm crossed against their chest. "Greetings to both of you, Halbarad and Tharamir", said Estel in Westron, his speech softened by a lilting Sindarin accent.  
  
Elrond continued, "Halbarad and Tharamir have come here to ask for our assistance to fight orcs. We are just discussing what can be done. Would you like to get some food and come and join us?"  
  
"Thank you, father", said Estel, "We will just get some food." They filled their plates with their favourite foods from the food laid out on a large table at the side of the hall, and joined Estel's father, his brothers and their guests at their table.  
  
Legolas ended up sitting next to Halbarad, with Estel across from him. This gave the older ranger an opportunity to observe the young elf unobtrusively. His first impression of the young elf had been an odd one, somehow he found this elf unnerving, he was too beautiful, too graceful, too 'elvish' – he could not put his impressions into words. None of the Rivendell elves had ever had this effect on him. But he was honest enough to admit to himself that he hardly ever had dealings with elves from Mirkwood and that most of his first impression could simply be based on the fact that Thandruil's son looked very different to the Noldor elves. Halbarad then focused on Elrond's foster son – what was his name, Estel? He looked strong and healthy, and despite his human blood, moved with elven gracefulness. He was also clearly still very young.  
  
Whilst these thoughts were going through Tharamir's mind, both Legolas and Estel had tucked into their food. Halfway through his place, Legolas addressed his silent neighbour, speaking Westron: "Since we missed the first part of the conversation, could you tell us in more why you have come?" His voice was light and musical, his Westron only slightely accented.  
  
The ranger looked at the young elf. He was surprised at the fluency with which Legolas used Westron, after all it was well known that the Mirkwood elves did not have many dealings with others outside their realm. He had not expected Legolas to be so competent in the human language.  
  
He answered: "For as long as I can remember there has been some trouble with orc bands and wolves packs marauding even in the west. Most of the time they were not a real problem – they were enough of a threat that it was unwise to travel alone in winter, but with caution otherwise they left the villages alone.  
  
"However, several years ago, something changed. We do not know what it is that has changed, and that is the reason why we have come here, we hoped that Lord Elrond would know or could at least help us find out. The orcs have become much more numerous in the west and have become a real threat to the villages in that area. They band together more and appear to be better led. They have begun to attack villages, rather than taking the unfortunate lone traveller. We cannot leave this situation unchecked."  
  
Elrond added: "This is not good news. I would very much like to find out about what is happening to cause this increase of orcs and wolves. We also must inform Mithrandrir of this situation, he has recently been quite interested in what happened in the west. I would like all four of you to go onto this mission, your skills and experience complement each other."  
  
He then turned to Halbarad and Tharamir. "Would you be happy to take these four with you? You have travelled with Elladan and Elrohir before and know their skills. Estel is a fine sword fighter as well, and Legolas is an outstanding archer."  
  
The two rangers nodded. They could do with all the help they could get. Halbarad thanked Elrond and the four young people. It was decided that they would leave early next morning at first light.  
  
~  
  
They had been on the road for a week, and had travel hard, stopping late and rising early. The trip had been quite uneventful so far. The past week had brought ample opportunities for the six companions to get to know each other. Travelling as group in relative secrecy and in close proximity had necessitated intimacy. Both men realised very soon that the four young people knew each other well, anticipating each other's needs and preferences. Elladan and Elrohir being twins, the men were not surprised to find the two being close, but Halbarad in particular was somewhat puzzled by the relationship between Estel and Legolas. These two were obviously close friends, their body language had given a hundred clues to that, but he wondered if there was something else as well.  
  
There had been some interesting moments.  
  
On the first evening, after their meal, the two rangers located their pipes and filled them with pipeweed. Estel looked at them with curiosity, unable to work out the purpose of the little herb-filled stick. Both Elladan and Elrohir smirked at the expression of their brother when the pipes were lit and the two humans began to smoke. Finally Estel asked, "What is the purpose of these ... ?"  
  
"These are pipes and you fill them with pipeweed, light it and inhale the smoke," Tharamir said with a laugh at the incredulous expressions of the young man.  
  
"May I try?"asked Estel.  
  
"I would not advise it, but you can try if you wish."  
  
Estel looked at his brothers and Tharamir, who were all now laughing. Legolas' eyes sparkled with suppressed mirth. Determined, Estel took the offered pipe. He inhaled deeply. Immediately he started spluttering, coughing so hard that he doubled over.  
  
His brothers and the human warriors laughed so much that their eyes started watering.  
  
"I did warn you," said Tharamir, his eyes light with amusement in his usually solemn face.  
  
When Estel did not stop coughing, Legolas got up and started to rub his friend's back.  
  
"Better? Are you okay?" Estel nodded. "Why did you not warn me about this?"  
  
"Some experiences you have to make by yourself," Legolas said, finally unable to suppress the smile that tucked at the corners of his mouth.  
  
Estel did not try smoking again on this journey.  
  
~  
  
One evening they had dared to light a small fire, and everyone had gathered around, more or less silent since they had marched hard on this day and everyone was weary. Legolas and Estel were sitting next to each other, Legolas crossed legged, when Estel suddenly leaned against him, half asleep. Legolas smiled, and putting his arm gently around Estel, pulling him close. "Elrohir, could you get me a blanket for him please? He is weary." Legolas smiled gently, and both his smile and gestures conveyed such tenderness that both Halbarad and Tharamir were startled. Elrohir brought the blanket and Legolas covered his friend, who was now leaning against his chest, fast asleep.  
  
"Legolas? May I ask you a question?" Halbarad looked at Legolas searchingly. The prince just nodded, wondering what was on the ranger's mind.  
  
"Legolas, this is not really my business, but before we reach the human settlements, it would be good to know. Are you and Estel lovers?"  
  
Legolas had not expected that question. He had assumed that the two rangers had already answered that question for themselves. He was also startled by the bluntness of the human's approach. He decided to be equally forthcoming. "Yes, we are. But first and foremost we are friends. Estel is very special to me in many ways." Legolas looked fondly down at the sleeping human leaning on his shoulder.  
  
Both rangers just nodded and absorbed this information. Neither was surprised, both were experienced enough to have been almost certain that these two were not only friends.  
  
Halbarad said with a small smile: "You don't need to tell me, but how long ago was coming of age?" All of the sudden he had the suspicion that Legolas was still very young, at least for an elf.  
  
"It was forty years ago this summer," said Legolas slightly hesitantly. He did not quite understand the reason for the question.  
  
Halbarad looked at Legolas with surprise. He had guessed that Legolas was young for an elf but had not expected him to be *that* young. Clearly growing up in Mirkwood had marked the young prince. That Estel was young, was obvious from his lack of experience. Halbarad knew enough of elvish customers to realise that the relationship between these two was unusual.  
  
"You met young," he said, looking straight at Legolas. The elf looked at him levelly and simply admitted: "Yes, we did," but did not volunteer any further information. Halbarad decided not to pry any further, but instead to bring something up that had been on his mind since he had guessed that Legolas and Estel were lovers. He took a deep breath.  
  
"Legolas, this is difficult to say, but I have to warn you ... many men do not look favourably at relationships between males or between females. It could potentially lead to a great deal of trouble if they found out. So when you two are around other men, you must be discrete, much more so than you were with us." Halbarad smiled to take the sting out of his words.  
  
"I had heard about this already", said Legolas. "But I thought this was just a rumour. I do not understand why humans should object to two people caring for each other."  
  
Halbarad answered: "I am uncertain why some humans feel that way. But I have seen that these prejudices can cause much hurt, and indeed I have seen people being badly abused simply for loving one of their own gender."  
  
Legolas looked shocked. To be scorned, worse still, injured, for loving another ... this did not do much to recommend the race of men to him. But he promised to Halbarad to talk to Estel about this topic at a suitable moment.  
  
~  
  
In the following weeks, both Estel and Legolas learned a lot about the ways of men and rangers in particular. Halbarad and Tharamir told them about the ranger's traditions and hard way of life, about their expectation that one day a genuine leader with royal blood would be found again. Estel found that in many nights he did not sleep much, there was too much going through his mind. One day he would have to decide whether he wanted to embrace his heritage. He was very uncertain whether he even wanted to consider this further. He loved his adopted family and could not imagine living among men. To him, they seemed foreign. Legolas also told him about his conversation with Halbarad. This did nothing to increase his desire to live among men.  
  
Often, when he could not sleep, Legolas would often stay up with him and they would talk in quiet voices whilst the others slept.  
  
The group scouted the area west of Bree. They came across a number of largish groups of orcs. They tried not to be seen, but counted numbers, and looked for patterns. As hard at it was at times, they avoided being seen or to be engaged in any kind of skirmish. Their luck held for a few weeks, and they were able to gain much information about the orcs bands that plagued the west. By the time autumn approached, they were certain that these orcs were sent out according to a plan, not randomly; and they were equally certain that these orcs were looking for something, although the scouting party had not yet identified what it was the orcs were searching.  
  
One day in early autumn their luck run out. Whenever possible, the group of elves and rangers had travelled high up through the branches of the trees. It was easier to avoid orcs that way – they usually did not look up. The three elves and Estel were familiar with travelling this way, it was fast and safe. Halbarad had dealt with elves often enough to have some experience too, but Tharamir was not experienced much in this way. One day, when they were almost on top of a fairly large group of orcs, he stepped on a branch not strong enough to support his weight. With an almighty crash, the branch and Tharamir tumbled down into the middle of the orcs. There was a stunned silence, and then the orcs began to attack.  
  
Quickly, Tharamir's companions jumped down from the tress, forming a protective circle around the younger ranger. The orcs, although surprised to find elves and men in their midst, attacked immediately. Tharamir had injured his ankle during his fall, but was otherwise unhurt.  
  
At first, elves and rangers alike used their bows. Both rangers were amazed at the skill that Legolas displayed with the bow, elves were generally good archers, but Legolas was exceptional. But soon, bows became less useful as the orcs closed in. The fight deteriorated into close combat. Halbarad had fought with Elladan and Elrohir before, and knew their skills. As far as he could in the melee, he observed Estel and Legolas.  
  
Halbarad was surprised at the ease and confidence that Estel displayed with the sword. Elves mostly excelled with the bow, but Estel's strength was clearly the sword. Legolas was a superb archer, and he displayed considerable skill in close combat with the two long knifes he was carrying.  
  
Estel was fighting a particularly vicious orc when another of the evil creatures saw the opportunity and tried to tackle him from behind. Legolas saw the danger, and with a desperate effort, quickly dispatched his own foe and threw one of his knives at the orc attacking his partner from behind. He struck true. Estel, aware of what Legolas had done, nodded, and smiled at him briefly. There would be time later for thanks.  
  
Legolas had let his concentration slip for a moment. Focussed on Estel, he had not watched his footing. He stepped backwards, trying to evade the blows of yet another of Sauron's creatures, and stumbled over the body of a fallen orc. His current enemy seized the opportunity, and moved in with a vicious drive of its scimitar. But it never got to the elf. Elladan had seen Legolas fall and immediately covered him, blocking the attacking stroke with his own sword. The orc pressed hard, not wanting to lose its prone prey. But Legolas got up onto his feet again quickly.  
  
Unfortunately he had now lost his second knife in his fall, and the bow was not much use – this meant he was almost weaponless in the midst of a battle. Legolas briefly wondered what to do, when a sword was thrust in his had. Halbarad had passed on his own sword to Legolas and had gripped one of the dead orc's weapons to defend himself. Legolas nodded his thanks and began to fight back in earnest.  
  
Many hours of sword practice with Estel kicked in. Estel preferred the sword, and, as Legolas readily admitted, was an expert at using it. Which Legolas was not, and did not claim to be. He found swords unyielding and heavy, not suitable for a fighting style reliant on skill and speed rather than strength.  
  
Halbarad watched the young elf. He was good with the sword, but nowhere near as good as with his knives or bow.  
  
Finally, the number of foes began to diminish, and eventually a growled command of their leader resulted in the quick flight of the remaining orcs. The battle came to an end.  
  
Halbarad took stock. His party had killed a large number of orcs, but they had also not escaped unscathed. Tharamir could not walk, his ankle was either strained or broken, this remained to be seen. Elladan and Elrohir were relatively unscathed, but sported various scratches and bruises. Estel had a deep cut on his left arm, not serious, but a large and bothersome wound that would need stitching. Legolas had a rapidly darkening bruise on his forehead; he had obviously been hit by something heavy.  
  
Nevertheless, for their first engagement with orcs, they had not done badly. No one was injured seriously, although everyone had some injuries and the entire party was exhausted. It was time to move away from the battlefield and find somewhere safe for the night.  
  
TBC. - Please review! 


	6. Chapter 6

Author's note: After having received several reviews from people who do not like Arwen/Aragorn romance, I have decided to alter my planned plot quite a bit. Arwen will still have a role, but it will be very different to what I first anticipated. This will also make this story more AU, but I suppose this does not matter much – after all I am just borrowing Tolkien's characters anyway. I will also alter the summary and introduction to the story to reflect these changes (7/03/04).  
  
So, Geshwen, Yre and eep, there is no need to 'bail out'. I am glad you are enjoying my story so far!  
  
And thanks again to everyone for the reviews, please keep on commenting, it makes a huge difference.  
  
Chapter 6 – To make a choice  
  
They needed to find shelter to stop, clean and bandage their wounds and have some rest. It had also started raining hard. Halbarad quickly surveyed his party. Tharamir could not walk, this would have to be addressed immediately, and Estel had a large but superficial cut in his arm, this needed bandaging soon to prevent too much blood loss.  
  
"Legolas, bind Estel's arm so that he does not lose any more blood. Elladan, Elrohir, help me with Tharamir's foot, you are healer-trained and should be able to tell whether this is strained or broken."  
  
Legolas looked around for their packs. He could not see them immediately amongst the remainder of the battle. Rather than searching and losing more time, he quickly took of his cloak, outer tunic and undershirt, and slipped his outer garments back on again.  
  
Estel looked at him with astonishment. "What are you doing?"  
  
"You are losing too much blood – this cut is not serious but it bleeds freely." Whilst saying this, the young elf cut his relatively clean undershirt into strips that he used to bind Estel's arm.  
  
"We will have to see to this properly later. It needs some healing herbs to prevent infection, and my shirt is none to clean. But it is the best I can offer at the moment."  
  
Estel winced when Legolas bound his arm. He also looked at his partner. "I have just seen that you have some pretty bad bruises yourself. I would like to look at your ribs later on. And your face does not look well at all."  
  
Legolas sighed. It had been inevitable for Estel to see the bruises on his body, and, as he admitted himself, both his forehead and his right upper body hurt quite badly. He had been fighting a large orc with a club-like weapon that had succeeded in hitting him on the forehead. Slightly dazed by the impact, Legolas had not reacted fast enough and the orc had managed to hit him again, this time catching the prince in the ribs, before he managed to kill it. Legolas berated himself for this failure; no orc should get close enough to cause him injury.  
  
Halbarad interrupted. "Elladan says that Tharamir's foot is broken. He has temporarily bound it up, but Tharamir will not be able to walk. We will have to build a stretcher and get way from here. Evil lingers here."  
  
Quickly the twins found two straight branches and used Elrohir's cloak to make a makeshift stretcher. Looking slightly dubious, Tharamir was settled into it, and the small party of elves and men left the battlefield. The elven material held, and Elladan and Elrohir took up the stretcher. The group pressed on through the night. Halbarad knew of some caves several hours march away which provide sufficient shelter for a day or two.  
  
After a while, Legolas noticed that Estel began to stumble more and more often. He grew concerned, knowing that his partner had lost quite a lot of blood, and they had not stopped to eat or drink. He should have had something to drink at least. For his own part, the pain from the bruise on his head had turned into a pounding general headache that left him dizzy and nauseated. However, he had no intention of holding up their party or even to mention how bad he felt. Halbarad was leading and scouting at the same time, the twins, both sporting their own collection of scrapes and bruises, carried the stretcher, and Estel was clearly struggling to simply carry on.  
  
"Estel? Are you alright?"  
  
The concern in Legolas' voice both touched and irritated Estel. He was utterly exhausted, and had focused so much at putting one foot in front of the other that he had not paid much attention to anyone else. Now he looked at Legolas and was shocked to see how bad the young prince looked. The right side of his forehead and right cheekbone were now purple, the eye almost swollen shut, and the other eye's pupil hugely dilated.  
  
Estel just opened his mouth for an answer, when Legolas turned to the side and emptied his stomach violently. Estel quickly stood behind him, holding the elf's shoulders. This could not be hidden from the remainder of the party, everyone stopped. Elladan and Elrohir sat down the stretcher and came to look at Legolas. Elladan took one look at their friend and said: "You were hit hard on the head, Legolas. You need rest."  
  
Elrohir added, looking at Estel: "He is not in much better shape. Halbarad, we cannot make it to these caves, it is too far. The stretcher slows us down, and both Estel and Legolas look as if they are ready to collapse any moment. We must take whatever shelter we can find."  
  
Halbarad nodded, he could see for himself that neither Legolas nor Estel would be able to carry on much longer. He had underestimated the severity of their injuries. The twins quickly scouted the surrounding area, and reported back that they found a possible stopping place. It was not ideal since it did not provide much shelter, and they needed to light a fire. After some discussion, they decided to take the risk and light a small blaze under a small overhang of rock to warm up some water to clean their wounds and to heat some food. Once Tharamir was settled as comfortable as possible against the rocks, Elldan turned to Legolas and Estel.  
  
"Legolas, you must lay down and try to get some rest. I would not recommend that you try to eat, your head needs rest, and the headache that I have no doubt you have, will keep you from retaining your food. Rest."  
  
Somewhat to his surprise, Legolas took his bedroll without protest and moved it next to Tharamir. *He must feel pretty bad to give in like this,* Elrohir thought with growing concern. Then turning to his younger brother, he said:" You must eat and drink, and then get some rest to allow your body to recover from the blood loss."  
  
"Will Legolas be alright?"  
  
"Of course. But he needs rest. You know as well as I do what a blow on the head does. There is only one cure – rest."  
  
Halbarad and Elrohir had managed to light a small fire and heat up some water. Most of their equipment had been lost in the battle with the orcs. They had been able to rescue two blankets, their cooking utensils, and a small quantity of food. Almost all their healing herbs and bandages had gone as well as most of their food and water. Halbarad looked at the meagre stores and sighed. The most important thing to do was to clean wounds, and hope that cleaning them would be enough to starve off any infection. For the elves that was almost certainly the case, and none of them had obtained a serious open wound. Halbarad and Tharamir had scratches and bruises which were painful but inconsequential, but Estel's wound needed cleaning and stitches. He just hoped that the boy had enough elven blood to reduce the effects of any infection that might set in.  
  
"Elladan, are you going to see to my arm?" Despite his exhaustion, Estel knew well enough what was in store for him – without their packs, they had no pain numbing herbs to use.  
  
"I am sorry, little brother, you know what needs to be done. I want you to eat and drink, and then I will knock you out. Otherwise the stitches will be very painful, and we cannot afford any screams. And there is no need to be a hero. Do you trust me?"  
  
Estel hesitated. This was not going to be pleasant. But he did trust Elladan, with every fibre of his being. He nodded. "Of course I do."  
  
"Eat now. You will need the strength."  
  
Legolas was fast asleep with his eyes closed, a fact that concerned Estel.  
  
They shared their meagre supplies and then Elladan set to working on Estel's arm. As promised, with a swift blow to the neck, he knocked his foster brother out. He then quickly removed the makeshift bandage, cleaned the wound and stitched the ragged edges together. He then used a clean bandage to cover the wound. They had been fortunate in that both twins carried a small pouch on their belts which contained some basic non-herbal medicinal supplies, including threat and needle suitable for stitching wounds, and a small amount of bandages. The combined contents of both pouches were just enough to cover Estel's wound.  
  
Elladan hoped that Estel would wake up soon. He had not knocked him hard, not wanting to hurt him more than necessary. In the meantime, he used the remaining hot water to clean everyone else's wounds. They were a week's travel from Bree, they could not afford any illness due to infection.  
  
Halbarad gave in to his own tiredness and had just pulled his cloak over himself, when suddenly Elrohir looked up and said, "Listen!"  
  
The others stopped what they were doing, and realised that the forest sounds had ceased. Bar the soft sounds of the falling rain, the forest had gone completely silent. The ever-present sounds of small birds and animals had stopped and the forest seemed to have been gripped by an unnatural, oppressive stillness.  
  
And then they saw the eyes. Many of them, glowing, yellow orbs all around them in the gathering darkness. Wolves, and a lot of them!  
  
Quickly, Halbarad threw more kindling into the fire. The flames shot up, and the eyes momentarily retreated.  
  
"Get Legolas and Estel up. They will have to fight, we are outnumbered badly."  
  
Elladan shook Estel, who immediately came around. "Wolves, you must get up and fight."  
  
Estel realised immediately the severity of their situation and got up. He felt better than he thought he would, although his arm throbbed mercilessly. He grabbed his bow and belted his sword. For a brief instant, Elladan saw the noble warrior his brother was going to be many years later.  
  
Elrohir woke Legolas. "Legolas, I am sorry, but we are under attack and we need you."  
  
Legolas slowly focused his eyes and took in what Elrohir had said. He then got up quickly – or rather tried to get up quickly and doubled over in another fit of dizziness and nausea. Elrohir looked at him with concern, and helped him to stand. Legolas was not fit to fight – but they had no choice, and Tharamir could not stand. Legolas managed to stand. Elrohir quickly helped him to put on his quiver and ready his bow.  
  
All of these preparations had only taken a few moments, and the wolves were yet kept away by the highly blazing fire. The travel companions formed a protective circle around Tharmir's position. Soon the additional kindling had burned.  
  
And then, howling and snarling, the wolves attacked. It was a large pack, and the rangers and elves were hard pushed.  
  
The first few wolves were easily dispatched. The bows sang, and several of the most veracious beasts were killed before they could come near enough to do damage. Legolas' aim was a long way from his normally expert performance, but he still managed to kill most of the wolves he targeted. A few moments later the remainder of the wolves had come close enough to attack, and the fight deteriorated into close combat. For Estel and Legolas, the adrenaline rush of the battle made them forget their wounds and discomfort. Everyone put their swords or knifes to good use, but it was dark and there seemed to be dark snarling shapes hurling themselves everywhere.  
  
After what appeared to be an endless amount of time, the number of wolves finally diminished. Eventually, with a final howl of the leader, the remainder of the pack fled. But victory had not been without a price. Everyone in the scouting party bar Tharamir had sustained additional injuries of some kind, none of them serious, but all bothersome.  
  
Halbarad had a vicious looking bite wound in his left arm, Legolas had deep scratches on his arms, and Elladan had a superficial bite wound in his right leg. Elrohir had a long scratch down the side of his cheek, where claws had ripped, and Estel's chest had been scratched deeply.  
  
In the quite after the battle, they looked at each other, exhausted and weary beyond belief. They had nothing left to treat their wounds.  
  
Legolas had simply sat where he stood, once the adrenaline rush had abated, he was not able to stand any longer. His head was pounding mercilessly, and it took all his concentration not to give in to his revolting insides. Estel did not look much better, and even the twins and Halbarad felt utterly exhausted. They also decided that they could not stay where they were, and needed to move on. Dawn was not far off and they needed to find a safe place to rest.  
  
So Elladan and Elrohir took up Tharamir's stretcher again, Halbarad took the lead and Estel and Legolas supported each other. Legolas was leaning on Estel's 'good' arm, being more dragged than supported by the young man. All six companions would remember this night with a shudder. Weary, injured and exhausted almost beyond the point of collapse, they struggled way from the second battle of the night. They kept moving through the rest of the night. At first light, Halbarad called a stop. They had found the caves they had been looking for earlier.  
  
Halbarad quickly led them to the first of the caves. It was not so much a cave as a shallow indent in the maintain side, but sufficiently deep for all of them to be sheltered from the rain and for a fire not to be immediately visible from the outside. A line of bushes screened the front opening, so that they should be protected from prying eyes.  
  
Halbarad volunteered for the first watch. No one argued, and without further comment everyone flopped down on the floor. The twins huddled together under one of the remaining blankets, Tharamir used his stretcher - Elrohir's cloak - as a blanket, Legolas and Estel curled up together under the last blanket. Everyone went to sleep instantly.  
  
Halbarad was as exhausted as the rest of the party, but he did not believe that he would be able to sleep. He felt incredibly guilty about the events of the night. He was the group's leader, he should have been able to prevent this disastrous turn of events. Although he was not quite sure what he could or should have done differently. He counted himself lucky, it would not have done to lose one of Lord Elrond's sons or King Thandruil's son on a simple scouting mission.  
  
TBC – Please review! Your reviews make my day and encourage me to carry on. 


	7. Chapter 7

Author's note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter(s) and gave me feedback. It is much appreciated.  
  
I value every single review, and therefore have also noticed that for the last couple of chapters the number of reviews has been lower than for the earlier chapters.  
  
So, if you read and enjoy, but normally don't review, please de-lurk and let me know what you think – good or bad! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Chapter 7 - To Make a Choice  
  
As weary as he was, Halbarad took it upon himself not to wake anyone else for the next few hours. Dawn rose, and with it a grey damp day. Everything was silent. The elves and rangers slept peacefully, recovering from their wounds and exhaustion after the battle with the orcs and the second battle with the wolves.  
  
Halbarad had time and space to let his thoughts roam. He had known the twins for most of his adult life, and had fought with them on many occasions. In the last few weeks the proximity and intimacy of their travel had also meant that he and Tharamir got to know Elrond's young foster son and Legolas from Mirkwood much better. As far as Estel was concerned, he was impressed by the young man's fighting skills and somewhat shocked by his ignorance about the world of man. Why had Elrond not seen to it that this boy had a better knowledge of his heritage? Halbarad was almost certain – and intended to ask Elrond at the next opportunity – that Estel was in fact Aragorn, Arathorn's son, and with this the rightful chieftain of the Dunedain.  
  
The ranger wondered whether Estel actually knew of his heritage, if he did, he had never given any acknowledgement of the fact. If Estel should one day take up his role as the leader of the Dunedain, he had a long way to go. Halbarad winced at the ignorance that the boy had displayed at completely unremarkable actions and events among men, he clearly had had very little exposure to human culture and customs. But to give Elrond his due, one of the stated aims of this mission had exactly been this – to expose Estel more to humans and their way of life.  
  
And then Estel's relationship with the young prince of Mirkwood. Again, Estel – Aragorn – had been utterly unaware of the fact that such a relationship might be considered unusual among men. Halbarad had to admit that Legolas and Estel appeared to be well matched in temperament and personality. Many of their interactions took place without conscious thought, borne out of long standing habit rather than deliberation.  
  
Halbarad glanced at the young couple. Both were still sound asleep, Legolas on his back, with his eyes closed, testimony to his exhaustion and injuries. Estel was curled up against the elf, with his injured arm laying affectionately on the other's chest. Both were sleeping peacefully, and Halbarad was grateful for that. There had been a not insignificant risk of infection for Estel, but he seemed to be doing fine.  
  
Halbarad's thoughts turned towards more immediate problems. They were out of food, and Tharamir's stretcher slowed them down. In ordinary circumstances it would take about five or six days to get to Bree. But they had Tharamir to consider, and they would have to search and hunt for food. Halbarad did not believe they would make it to Bree in less than ten days. Their most urgent problem was the lack of blankets. The forest around them would provide food, but the weather was turning fast and they had only two blankets between them. For the elves, lack of warmth was uncomfortable but not harmful, for the three humans, there could be more severe consequences. They could not really afford to have anyone fall ill. Halbarad sighed. He was beginning to get very weary, and pondering their situation would not solve it at this very moment. The ranger knew that he needed rest.  
  
He quietly approached the sleeping twins. Whom to wake? He did not need to answer the question since Elrohir stirred and looked up at the man.  
  
"Have you stood watch all this time?" Elrohir saw the answer in the ranger's tired face.  
  
"Get some rest, Halbarad. I will take the watch and wake you when needed."  
  
"Thank you, Elrohir." Without further ado, Halbarad wrapped himself in his coat, as insufficient as it was to provide enough warmth ,and settled down to sleep. Elrohir frowned. Before Halbarad could fall asleep, he nudged the ranger and said: "Halbarad, I know that these temperatures are uncomfortable for a human and you don't even have a blanket. Please take my place at Elladan's side. I am sure he would not mind sharing the blanket with you."  
  
Halbarad hesitated. He had not slept as close with anyone for a very long time. But then his need for sleep in relative comfort overcame his hesitation, and he moved near Elladan. The older twin simply mumbled and shifted a bit, but did not wake up. Halbarad settled next to him under their shared blanket, and fell asleep instantly.  
  
Elrohir decided that he would let every one sleep until mid afternoon. The days were getting shorter and they needed to get some food at least for tonight.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Lord Elrond in Rivendell looked at the letter in his hands. It was a brief note from King Thandruil, cool in tone, which asked that Legolas needed to return to Mirkwood for the winter. Elrond decided that he needed to answer the missive. He had not heard of his scouting party since they left and he was getting slightly covered. They were overdue, they should have been back in Rivendell by now. Winter was setting in early this year, Legolas would not be able to return to Mirkwood this autumn, snow had already fallen in the mountains.  
  
With a sigh, Elrond sat down and began to write. He admitted to himself that he had no objections to Legolas staying in Rivendell. It would make Estel happy, and, he thought with a mental smile, it would be good for the prince as well. What little Elrond new about Thandruil's son indicated that he had not had much fun with friends of his own age. Elrond had come to truly like the young Mirkwood elf, something he had not thought possible even a year ago.  
  
So Elrond wrote a letter explaining that the mountain passes were already closed and that Legolas would have to winter in Imladris. To soften the blow, he assured Thandruil that Legolas would be treated like one of his own sons, which would include receiving appropriate training and a set of duties fitting his status and abilities. He sealed the parchement and set it aside, to be sent by messenger bird early the next morning.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
For Elrohir, the hours passed uneventfully. The camp slept. It was after midday when Tharamir stirred and Elrohir walked up to him. They talked quietly, and the whispered conversation between them also awoke Legolas and Estel.  
  
Estel's first thought was of Legolas. He looked at the elf's face and lightly touched the bruising on the right side. "How do you feel, Legolas?" he asked, concern and affection clearly audible in his voice.  
  
"Like an orc hit me with a club over the head," answered Legolas with a rueful smile. "How is your arm?" He gently took Estel's hand. "You have not got a fever, that is a good sign. Does it still hurt much?"  
  
Estel shook his head. "No, it is just a dull ache now, it does not throb as much as it did last night." They were both laying on their sides now, facing each other. Estel leaned in and gave Legolas a soft kiss, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss.  
  
Legolas pulled away. "Estel, this is not a good idea. You are just making things harder for both of us." Their eyes locked, and after a brief hesitation Estel nodded. He knew that Legolas regretted the lack of privacy, enforced by travelling as a group, as much as he did.  
  
Legolas slowly stood up, trying to assess how far his body would cooperate. His head still hurt fiercely but the swelling in his face had gone down, and he could open both eyes fully. He took a few steps, and found that the dizziness and nausea that swept over him were uncomfortable but manageable.  
  
Smiling, he said to Estel: "I am already much better. By tomorrow the effects of this blow will have passed." Estel gave him a relieved smile.  
  
The remainder of the scouting party also began to stir. Elladan and Halbarad also got up and ready. After a brief council, the group decided that Elladan would go and try to hunt for some meat and that Halbarad and Estel should try to find other food to supplement whatever game Elladan would bring home.  
  
Much to his chagrin, Legolas was told by Elladan in no uncertain terms that he needed more rest and should lay back down. Legolas realised that, if he was honest with himself, he very much welcomed the extra rest. His head still throbbed mercilessly. Elrohir would stay as a guard with Tharamir and Legolas.  
  
At this time of the year, it was easy to find food in the forests. Mushrooms and blackberries were plentiful, wild chestnuts would make a nice supplement and many wild herbs of this season were still edible, even if the plants had gone somewhat straggly and dry. There were hazelnuts, walnuts, acorns and edible plant roots. Both Estel and Halbarad were well versed in surviving on what nature provided. Within a couple of hours, they returned to the camp, with sufficient food for the evening meal for all and some to spare.  
  
They found Tharamir and Elrohir talking, Legolas fast asleep nearby. As much as he disliked to admit it, the young elf did need the rest. But this time he slept with his eyes open. Estel smiled when he looked at his partner, Legolas was definitely on the mend.  
  
A few moments later, Elladan returned. He had been lucky and had managed to shoot a half-grown deer. This would provide a meal for tonight and the remainder of the meat could be dried and taken away. Neither rangers nor elves believed in killing more animals than strictly necessary, they hunted for food, not for trophies.  
  
They lit a small fire in the small cave they had been using. The twins set to preparing the food. After skinning and gutting the deer, they created a delicious-smelling concoction of game, mushrooms, blackberries and some herbs. Some roots were added to thicken the stew. They also put some of the wild chestnuts Estel had found into the fire, to roast slowly while the meat cooked. Whilst the stew was simmering, the twins ground acorns between some stones. Elrohir knew that the resulting mush would be slightly bitter since they had no means to drain the mush and wash out the bitterness. They had no spare cloths, bandages or other material left that could be used for this purpose. But some strong herbs would go a long way to disguise the bitterness. He formed some flat cakes that he would bake once the stew was almost ready. They would eat well tonight.  
  
Sometime later Legolas woke up, surprised by the pleasant smell and the fact that his headache had cleared. He sat up, and found that both dizziness and nausea had disappeared. Estel was helping his brothers with the cooking, and the two rangers were sitting in peaceful silence next to each other.  
  
The elf decided to use the time until the food was ready to freshen up a bit, using the small waterfall nearby. It was not broad or high enough to stand under it, but, he thought, it should be possible to get reasonably clean. Legolas walked up to Estel, who knelt next to Elrohir near the fire.  
  
"Estel, I will try to wash a bit under that small stream. How about you?"  
  
"Legolas! You awake! How is your head?"  
  
"Much better."  
  
"You look better, too. Yes, I think I could do with washing more than my hands, and so could everyone else," he said with a pointed look at his brothers.  
  
Elladan got up from his kneeling position. Yes, a wash sounded like a very nice idea. The food still needed some time.  
  
"Elrohir? Are you coming?"  
  
"One of us should watch this. I go when you are finished."  
  
So the two elves and Estel went to the small mountain stream and helped each other to get clean. They all stripped and washed each other's hair and backs.  
  
Tharamir looked at this scene incredulously. Halbarad laughed. The expression on the younger ranger's face was priceless, it was a mixture of surprise, mortification and curiosity. The elder ranger had long been aware of the elvish lack of prudishness and indeed found nothing untoward in washing unclothed, perhaps bar getting too cold.  
  
Facing Tharamir, Halbarad said, "Elves are less concerned about being seen without clothes by others, particular amongst friends."  
  
The younger ranger blushed deeply, trying not to stare and yet he was curious. He had never seen elves without clothes and rarely other men. The younger ranger was fascinated by the way the natural grace of the elves was emphasised when they were moving unhindered by clothes. Although at the moment both elves and Elrond's foster son were also showing a large collection of bruises, scratches and scrapes on their bodies.  
  
Tharamir also realised that he was slightly envious, he would not mind a wash as well. He wondered if Halbarad would help him. So, after Elladan, Legolas and Estel were finished, Halbarad, Tharamir and Elrohir had their turn. And Tharamir found that undressing in front of friends was not so bad after all.  
  
By the time everyone was finished, the food was cooked. The chestnuts were roasted, the meat had stewed and the acorn pancakes were baked. Three elves and three humans assembled around the fire, ready for a well-deserved and long awaited meal, when Estel suddnely said:  
  
"How are we going to eat that?"  
  
They looked at each other. No one had given this any thought – since they had lost most of their equipment, their plates, bowls and cutlery had been lost as well. The remaining pot, pan and single spoon (all from Halbarad's pack) had been used for the food preparation. The only remaining other item was Halbarad's bowl.  
  
"We can wrap the meat in the pancakes, and fill the bowl with the stew as a soup. We will just have to pass it around with that spoon and take our turns." Legolas looked at his travel companions. It was not his first choice to share his bowl and spoon with five other people but the food smelled and looked delicious, and he was hungry.  
  
No one objected. The larger pieces of meat were wrapped in the pancakes and the remainder of the stew was passed around in the single bowl until everyone had had their fill. Then the roasted chestnuts were eaten. For the hungry and weary travellers, it was a feast.  
  
After their meal, the company sat quietly around their fire, content and satisfied. Legolas leaned against Estel, eyes half closed, and began to hum an elvish melody. The twins and Estel picked it up, and soon the light, musical voices of the three elves and the slightly deeper voice of Estel rang into the air. Halbarad and Tharamir listened with smiles on their faces. Soon their eyes closed and they leaned back to doze off into sleep. Halbarad's last thought before falling asleep was that in the morning they would have to move on.  
  
TBC. Please review.  
  
P.S. As an explanation, acorns are edible but most varieties have a lot of tannin that needs to be removed by leaching the ground acorns, otherwise the taste would be very bitter and/or they may be toxic. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's note: A big THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed, longer or shorter! I did not realise so many people read what I am writing, this is really quite flattering! **

**Please continue to review, even a very brief review is an encouragement! **

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To Make A Choice – Chapter 8

It rained. Incessantly. It had rained for the last six days. The group of elves and men drudged through the Northern Downs direction Bree. They were wet, their clothes were wet and their remaining blankets were wet. It was far more difficult to find food than it should be this time of the year, since berries and mushrooms suffered from the rain, nuts and acorns were rained off the trees and buried under a layer of falling leaves. The trees were loosing their leaves much earlier than usual. The only food source unaffected by the rain was hunting, but they had trouble finding sufficiently dry kindling to light a fire. And even when they succeeded, this created another problem, the damp wood resulted in much more smoke than dry wood would have done and this increased the chance to be found. So, an altogether miserable group of elves and men walked, slipped and slid towards Bree. The thick layer of wet leaves on the forest floor was turning into mulch and mud, treacherous ground even for the sure-footed elves. All of them slipped and fell repeatedly, and Tharamir on his makeshift stretcher suffered more than one involuntary bump.

Their situation was not helped by having to avoid orcs as well. They still saw the occasional band of orcs, but they tried hard to avoid any entanglements with them. Attempting to escape notice whilst carrying a stretcher was a challenge. They no longer had the option to escape into the trees. On several occasions they had to make large detours to avoid detection. And time wore on.

A week after they had left the small cave where they had stayed after the night of the two battles, Elladan removed the stitches from Estel's arm and declared the arm as good as new. Tharamir's foot was also healing, all rangers have some Numenorean blood and heal faster than other humans, but a clean fracture like Tharamir's ankle would still take about three weeks to heal completely. Tharamir hoped that in another week's time he would be able to walk again, even if it was with the use of a stick. Everyone else's bruises and scratches had healed, and the effects of Legolas' head injury had completely worn off. 

But men and elves alike were cold and wet, and Halbarad was particularly concerned about Tharamir. In contrast to Estel and himself, the younger ranger was confined to the stretcher and did not more, and even though during the day he had the use of their remaining two blankets, it was obvious that the damp and cold conditions affected him most. The elves did not enjoy the conditions but were not as much bothered by them as the three humans.

Halbarad was surprised at Estel's hardiness in these conditions. The young man had not complained once and, once his arm had fully healed, had shown himself almost as unaffected by the damp and cold as the elves. The older ranger's respect for Elrond's foster son grew, he had obviously been out in the woods much and knew what to expect. Halbarad was also surprised to find that despite his youth, Estel was a very competent tracker, being able to find even very faint tracks and traces.

Twelve days after their battle with orcs and wolves they arrived in Bree, exhausted, muddy, and very much in need of some rest and warm food.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Lord Elrond of Rivendell faced a dilemma. Rare for the Elven-Lord, he did not know what to do. His letter to King Thrandruil had been answered swiftly.

_To Elrond, Lord of Rivendell_

_Thank you for informing me about the reasons for the delay of my son. I am very unhappy that he has gone on a mission from Imladris and has not returned in time._

_I also need to write to you about the relationship between my son and your foster son. Legolas is very young yet, I have no objection if he takes a lover. I would prefer an elf to a human, but I will not interfere with Legolas' choice of lovers unless there is a good reason to do so. However, he is my son and the heir of my kingdom. When he is older, he must marry a female elf of suitable station and produce an heir of his own to carry on our blood line._

_You are well aware of the consequences of a true bonding between an elf and a mortal. Legolas must not bind himself to Estel, I will not allow it. I will not lose my only son to some childish affectation when he has barely reached  majority._

_I have tolerated this affair for a number of years because I felt that it was not of great consequence. However, recently I have got the impression that Legolas takes this more seriously than he should, Estel is mortal and even with his Numenorean heritage he will die in the next two hundred years, a short period for our kindred. I do not wish to see Legolas succumb to grief or give up his immortality._

_I am very concerned that in this winter this dalliance may get out of hand. So far distance has tempered what reason could not. You must speak to Legolas and remind him of his duty, both to me as his father and as his king. I wish that Legolas returns home as soon as the passes are clear._

_Yours truly, _

_Thandruil, King of the Woodland Realm_

Elrond's first reaction to this letter had been anger. Thandruil was so openly disdainful of Estel that Elrond wondered what Estel's visits in Mirkwood had been like. If this was Thandruil's attitude, it was surprising indeed that Estel had gone back to Mirkwood at all. Elrond yet again realised how close his foster son and the young prince of Mirkwood had grown.  How did Thrandruil dare to speak with such disregard of his foster son? Elrond felt an uncharacteristic flash of anger towards the Woodland King.

He also wondered how carefully Thrandruil had looked at his son and his human partner. Even before Elrond reassessed his opinion of Legolas, he had known very well that the young elf and Estel were close emotionally, and that this was not simply a convenience arrangement for mutual pleasure. Estel was not someone who trusted easily. Legolas' reserved nature made it even less likely that he would let someone close to him, both emotionally and physically, unless he knew that person very well.

And yet, after Elrond's initial annoyance with Thandruil's tone had passed, he also read between the lines the anguish of a worried father. Legolas _was_ Thandruil's only child, the mere thought of losing someone so precious through a bonding to a mortal must be an unbearable prospect. And, as Thandruil had indicted, Elrond knew very well that a binding would doom Legolas to mortality. 

What could be done? Legolas and Estel were close, they had been for years. The not inconsiderable pressure from both fathers and families had not succeeded in breaking their relationship. Elrond had the suspicion that it had been exactly this pressure that had contributed to Estel and Legolas being as close as they were at such a young age – for if the world is against you, stand united against the world. 

His mind wandered back to the night when he had played the harp for the two young lovers. He had not been able to see much of Estel's face, since it had been hidden on Legolas' shoulder. But Elrond knew that until the end of his days he would not forget the expression of utter bliss and happiness on Legolas' face, and the way the pair moved together. No, this was not merely a youthful infatuation – it may well have started as such – in all but name the binding had already taken place. 

Elrond decided to keep this knowledge to himself. He would talk to Legolas and perhaps show him his father's letter. But in his heart he knew, that, should something ever happen to either Legolas or Estel, the other would not survive long for grief. He prayed to the Valar that this day might be a long way into the future.

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It was late afternoon and getting dark when six weary travellers knocked at the gates of Bree. The guard opened a small window and peeked out suspiciously. Bree was located on the old east-west road and had always seen many travellers of different backgrounds, but times had changed, not all travellers were welcome. The guard saw a very bedraggled looking group of two rangers and four elves, one of the rangers being carried on a makeshift stretcher. Neither rangers nor elves were frequent guests in Bree, and he briefly wondered where they had come from. Rivendell was not far enough to account for the state of this group. But their business was their own. The older ranger stated that they wanted to stay at the Prancing Pony, and the guard opened the gates.

Estel had been to Bree before. On several occasions Elladan and Elrohir had taken the their foster brother to the human town. They had traded on the market, and Estel was familiar both with bartering and the use of money. But they had never stayed in the town and Estel had never been to the Prancing Pony.

Halbarad lead the group straight to the inn. The bar room was crowded with men, and, to Estel and Legolas' surprise a few halflings from the Shire. It was noisy, and the smoke of pipeweed filled the air. Some of the men were rough looking, travellers through the wilderness, hunters, but also some less savoury locals. When Halbarad opened the door and the group of elves and rangers entered, a hush fell over the crowded room. Rangers were not often seen in the Prancing Pony, and elves even less frequently.

Barliman Butterbur, the owner of the inn, was trying hard to keep up with the demands of his many guests when he realised that the room had gone quiet. He looked up from the glasses he was filling.

"Halbarad, ranger of the North. It has been a long time since I have seen you last. What can I do for you and your friends?

"We need food and shelter, probably for a few days. Have you got room for us?"

Barliman Butterbur looked at the Halbarad and his companions. One ranger being supported by one of the elves, whom he now recognised as one of Lord Elrond's sons. They had been here before, but he had never been able to tell them apart. There was the other twin, and another elf from Rivendell with the same grey eyes and dark hair as the twins, and a blonde young elf whom he could not place. 

"I have a room for two and a room for four. Perhaps you and the other ranger could use one, and Masters Elrohir and Elladan and their friends could use the other."

Estel groaned inwardly. He had hoped that Legolas and he would have a chance for a bit of privacy after travelling as a group for all these weeks, but after Butterbur's suggestion it would look odd to suggest different arrangements. 

Halbarad caught the fleeting expression on Estel's face. He had a pretty good idea what the young man was thinking; the ranger had noticed the increasing tension between Estel and the prince. They needed time alone together, and Halbarad had intended to suggest that they took the double room, but Barliman had pre-empted him. Well, there might be an opportunity later to do something about this.

"That is fine. We will decide on sleeping arrangements later, but we will take those rooms. We also need food, please bring us what you have got."

Turning to his companions, he asked: "What would you like to drink?"

All three elves chose wine, Tharamir and Halbarad the house ale and Estel was undecided. He had never had ale and wanted to try, knowing that it was a common human beverage. Barliman looked at him in surprise when he said that he wanted to try the ale.

"I have never seen an elf drinking ale," he muttered, looking at the young elf sharply. There was something about him that bothered Barliman, but he could not say what it was.

Halbarad sighed. It would be difficult to introduce Estel to human customs as long as he looked and behaved like an elf.

The group found a table in a comparatively quiet corner. They settled down, and everyone admitted that they were glad for the break. They sat silently for a few moments, everyone being grateful for the respite from the rain, the mud and the cold. Tonight at least they would sleep in comfort.

It did not take long for the barmaid to bring the food. She was still young, auburn haired with a full bosom, clad in a dress that showed more than it hid. Without realising, Estel stared at her. He had never seen a female dress in this way, the elf maidens and the few human women he had encountered had all been dressed much more modestly. He was also fascinated by the small pale brown marks on her face. Elrond had told him that some humans had these marks, freckles, but he had never seen anyone with them.

The girl noticed his glance. As a barmaid in the Prancing Pony, she was not shy and used to dealing with a wide range of different people. She was also not opposed to find a bit of pleasure on the side, particularly with a good-looking young man. Or rather, in this case, a young elf. She had never seen an elf before, so this could be interesting. Those grey eyes…, and she would love to run her hands through that long dark hair. She briefly wondered whether elves and human males were built differently from one another. Perhaps she could find out…

Looking directly at Estel, she said: "I am free tonight and I have no plans. I sleep under the roof. "

With interest, the girl noted the reaction of the group. The young dark-haired elf who had stared at her, gasped when the meaning of what she had said hit him. He really had the most beautiful grey eyes…

"Oh no, no… I am sorry I stared … I just haven't seen many human women before… Why are you dressed in this way?" Estel blurted, blushing deeply.

Everyone else at the table had noted the exchange. The twins, Halbarad and Tharamir were trying desperately not to snicker aloud, Legolas frowned slightly.

The girl looked at her dress. "What is wrong with my dress?"

If it was possible, Estel blushed even deeper. He could hardly say to her that he felt this dress did not do much to preserve her dignity.

"Nothing…I…just have never seen a dress like this before. It is very… becoming." The girl was more and more intrigued by the young elf. She had heard tales about elves and she wondered if they were true. She had overheard Barliman's conversation with the ranger, this group would stay for a while, plenty of time to get to know this young elf who had evidently not been around humans much. Well, she had not met any elves before, so perhaps they could find some time for mutual exploration. 

With this pleasant thought, she turned, other customers were shouting for her. Estel was immensely relieved when she left the table. Elrohir could not hold back his laughter any longer. 

"That was an achievement, little brother. Within a few minutes you made a conquest!"

Estel cringed. He did not know where to put himself. The 'conquest' of a barmaid had been the last thing on his mind. He glanced at Legolas, whose expression was unreadable. Estel felt so confused and uncomfortable that he missed the sparkle of suppressed laughter in his partner's eyes.

Halbarad decided to rescue the young man. "I think it is time we ate our food before it gets cold."

Barliman Butterbur had not been stingy on the food. With rangers and elves he knew he would be paid well, both tended to pay with gold coins. So the travelling companions were able to tuck into meat stew, roasted vegetables and freshly baked bread.

Elrohir, Elladan and Legolas enjoyed a surprisingly good Dorwinion wine, it had travelled a long way to reach Bree. The rangers took deep sips of their ale, Estel eyed his mug suspiciously. He now wished he had not been so daring and had stuck to wine. Slowly he lifted his drink and tried a small quantity.

Having never tried anything remotely similar, Estel was surprised that the ale was bitter, but he did not find the taste entirely unpleasant. He decided that he could finish this mug before getting some wine as well.

Tharamir looked at him expectantly. "And? Do you like it?"

"It is not unpleasant, but I think I prefer wine."

"Estel, do not mix ale and wine. It will give you a headache in the morning." Estel listened to the warning. He had only once been drunk and was not certain he wanted to repeat the experience. Although, he thought, that one instance had had a very good outcome. He turned and gave Legolas a small smile, which was returned with a discrete squeeze of his hand.

After they had finished their meal, Halbarad and Tharamir took out their pipes and asked for some pipewwod. They then began to contribute to the thick smoke in the inn, looking very contented and satisfied. Halbarad said to Legolas, who was sitting opposite to him:

"Why don't you and Estel get an early night. Take the smaller room." Legolas smiled at the ranger, grateful for the consideration. He had no objections, and neither had Estel. 

Getting up, he said:

"Thank you. We will see you at breakfast." With those words, Estel and Legolas made their way to the smaller of their two bedrooms, happy to be able to have some private time together after all the weeks of travel.

TBC.  I hope you enjoyed - please review !


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's note: A huge enormous THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed. I cannot believe how many reviews I have had for the last two chapters. Please continue to review, it keeps me going!**

**Many of you asked for faster/quicker/more frequent updates: My apologies for not being faster – I regret it, too! I am trying but 'real life' keeps me very busy at the moment, and I do not wish to sacrifice quality for speed with this story.**

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**This is a re-post of this chapter since I was made aware of one very amusing typo and found several others. I did not want to leave this chapter with these errors, they were all created by the spellchecker by inserting inappropriate words and subsequently missed by me. The content has not been altered.**

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Chapter 9 -  To Make A Choice 

Legolas woke early.  Dawn was rising late at this time of the year, but the human town around them awoke early. Horses clattered on the cobbled streets, carts squeaked, there were noises of people and cattle. It was really quite noisy.

There room they were sleeping in was still dark, and even Legolas' elven eyes were not able to see clearly. He felt, rather than saw, the presence of Estel next to him. He was grateful that Halbarad had made it possible to have this room; it had allowed them to spend some uninterrupted time together, which, as he readily admitted, both of them had needed. It had been a very enjoyable evening, well, perhaps it was better to say night – they did not go to sleep until a few hours ago. Legolas did not particularly mind, he needed much less sleep than Estel. He would be fine for the coming day.

At this current moment he wondered how he would be able to get out of bed without waking Estel, who occupied the outside of the bed. The young man laid on his side, facing Legolas, and one of his arms was wrapped around the elf's waist in a protective gesture that never failed to touch Legolas. But since he was now awake, the young elf realised that he needed to find the washroom. He carefully moved Estel's hand from his body and slowly began to climb over the human when Estel stirred.

"Where are you going?" a very sleepy voice mumbled, and a hand tightened around his arm.

"I will be back in a moment." Legolas pulled on his leggings and tunic, it would not do to walk around unclothed in this inn.

True to his word, the elf returned minutes after he had left.

"Come back to bed. It is far too early to get up, and I could think of much nicer things to do than to get up." Estel smiled at Legolas, his eyes large in the lifting dark. The first rays of twilight were now entering the room. Legolas did not hesitate for long.

Later, as they laid facing each other, Legolas gently pushed some of the tangled dark hair out of Estel's eyes. Their eyes locked for a long time, and neither wanted to break the moment. But then Legolas said

"Estel, after we return to Rivendell, I will not be able to stay much longer. I must return home. My father waits for me. This journey has taken far longer than we anticipated and we will not be in Rivendell for at least another ten days."

"I know. I will miss you. This has been the best summer we have ever had together. Father accepting you really made a huge difference. I wish only he had done this earlier. Imagine how nice it would have been if all our time together had been like this summer…"

"I wish my father would change his mind as well. Not very likely. You know him…"

"Yes," was Estel's whispered answer. He knew Thandruil did not welcome him. But neither had he been sent away, and so, out of affection for Legolas, mixed with a good deal of stubbornness, he had returned to Mirkwood year after year. But this had not been easy, and now, after they had had this glorious summer together, it would be even more difficult.

He hugged Legolas tightly. "Legolas, whatever happens in the future, I need you to know how much you mean to me. I don't want to loose you, ever."

"I know, Estel. You know I feel the same. But we do not yet know what the future holds, and we both know that we both have choices to make. One day you will have to decide which path you will follow, Elves or Men, you cannot do both. And for me … you know what my choices are …"

 "Perhaps we should have never allowed ourselves to fall in love with each other." Estel sounded slightly bitter and sad.

"Many would say so, my father certainly. But do you really feel that? I would not want to miss any moment we have had together, even those moments when we had disagreements or inadvertently hurt each other…"

The young man looked at the elven prince and gently touched his face. 

"Let us not spoiled this morning with worries. Come, let's get up and ready and have some breakfast."

~ ~

Sometime later Estel and Legolas made it downstairs to the bar room. The bar maid was already up, having cleaned and aired the room for breakfast. She looked scrubbed and clean, attractive in a robust way.

When she saw Estel and Legolas coming down the stairs, she smiled and decided to tease a bit. She smiled at Estel in particular. "Good morning! I hope you had a good night's rest. I see that you found better company to spend the night with than me!" To her surprise, both elves blushed. This was an odd reaction.

The girl now looked at Legolas properly for the first time. Yesterday she had focused very much on the dark-haired elf with those beautiful grey eyes, and had not paid much attention to anyone else at the table. His companion was slighter in built, with very dark blue eyes and long blonde hair. He was undoubtedly very attractive, but she found the other one much more appealing to her taste in men. He looked …. more manly. She scolded herself. These thoughts did not make sense; after all, these two were elves. She decided to introduce herself.

"My name is Liselle. And who are you?"

The blond elf responded. "This is Estel, and I am Legolas." 

"Are you from Rivendell?"

"Estel is, but I am from the Great Greenwood. It is often called Mirkwood now." Legolas' voice betrayed the sadness he felt about this change.

Liselle's hand went to her mouth in surprise. Mirkwood! There were many rumours about this place, and none of them good. She had another good look at Legolas. He did not look evil, just different. She had noted that the other two elves in their party looked much more like Estel, so they were probably from Rivendell as well.

"Liselle, stop chatting and serve our guests some breakfast." Barliman Butterbur's voice sounded from the back of the bar.

"What would you like for breakfast?"

Estel and Legolas looked at each other. Legolas took the lead.

"We normally have fruit and perhaps a bit of bread or pastries, with some tea. Have you got anything like this?"

"Yes, we have got apples and blackberries, and fresh bread and butter. We have not got pastries because they are usually not eaten for breakfast."

Legolas nodded. This would be fine. He asked Liselle to bring what she could, and to set the table for the other four members of the party as well. The girl quickly set a table near the window, and told them that the other four had already been up early and had left to go to the market. 

After a quick breakfast, Estella and Legolas also made their way to the market. Like the other four, they needed to replace some of their clothes and equipment before the onward journey to Rivendell, they had no desire to improvise to the same extent that they had to do on the way to Bree. Once they had finished their meal, they thanked Liselle and made their way to the door. 

The pair intrigued Liselle; she could not quite work out what it was. She was a shrewd observer; in her position she saw and had seen many people. The way these two moved together, even without any touch there was an intimacy about them that surprised her. And then, on the way out, for a brief moment, Estel slipped his hand in Legolas'. The gesture was so brief that Liselle wondered if she had seen what she thought she had seen, but it was when Legolas smiled at Estel that she knew she had been right. It was a brief flash of a smile, full of affection and intimacy. At that moment she knew that these two were lovers. 

Liselle was not particularly bothered, even though she was still young, she was neither naïve nor inexperienced and it was not the first time she had seen love between two people of the same gender. It also explained some of Estel's inexperience with women. Liselle also remembered some time ago having heard that elves were not particular about gender when choosing mates. She tried to remember the context and the speaker, but only remembered that whoever had said it had sounded full of disdain, and had received a lot of agreement for his comments amongst the other men in the bar.

Liselle decided that at some opportune moment later she would warn Estel and Legolas to be more discrete. It was not that they had not been – but anyone looking closely enough would immediately know that they were close. The young barmaid quite liked the two elves, unlike many visitors, they did not try to make passes at her and both were well mannered and pleasing to look it. And Estel's reaction last evening had been very funny – what a pity that he had not taken her up on her offer! 

Whilst Liselle was pondering these issues, Legolas and Estel had made their way to the market. It was not far, the market square was not large, with a number of permanent shops around it and temporary stalls and huts in the middle. It did not take long for Legolas and Estel to find the twins and the two rangers. Elrohir could not resist teasing them about being late, but both Elladan and Halbarad asked him to leave the young couple alone. Elladan and Elrohir were almost finished buying spare clothes, blankets and other necessities. They had bartered hard and felt they had come away with some good deals.

Legolas found to his surprise that Estel was much better at bartering than himself. His father had never tried to negotiate a price, if it was within acceptable limits, the item would be bought, if the price was outside these boundaries, the item would not be bought from this trader.

Currently Estel was negotiating the price for a pair of breeches. They were dark brown tanned leather, looked durable and about the right size for the young man. Estel had managed to talk the trader into selling for less than half of the original price.

When they left the stall, Legolas asked: "How did you do that?" 

Estel laughed. "Practice! Elladan and Elrohir taught me how to trade and never to accept a trader's price in the first instance. It is quite fun, once you know how to do it. Come let's get you some spare clothes as well."

They easily found a tunic for Legolas but were still looking for leggings or breeches that were the right size for the slender elf, when Elladan approached them. "Legolas, I have to be very rude and ask for my brother's company for a while. We will be back shortly."

Estel and Legolas looked at each other. What was that about? But Elladan took Estel's arm, and pulled his foster brother away.

"I have to show you something. I think you might like to buy it for Legolas, so he should not see it."

They arrived at the stall of a silversmith, whose work had already caught Estel's attention. The craftsman's work was of unusual quality and much finer in design than what was usually found amongst human traders. Elladan pointed to a ring that was laid out with some other pieces on the back of the table. Estel had not seen it when he had glanced at the silversmith's work. The ring was made from gold. A circle of delicate small golden leaves intricately interwoven held a small deep blue stone. Estel gasped. This ring had 'Legolas' written all over it. The young man looked at his foster brother. 

"It is beautiful!"

"Elladan, thank you. But I am sure I have not enough money for this. I did not bring much money on this trip and have spent some of it for clothes and other equipment."

"Elrohir and I have decided to give you all our spare money, if you wish to buy it. Between us, we should have sufficient funds for this ring. The stone is not that large."

Estel was so surprised that he just stared at his brother. This offer was completely unexpected. Although relationships had much improved over the summer, Estel had not yet forgotten how much the twins had shunned Legolas previously.

So, after some negotiating, they bought the ring. It did not leave them with much spare money, but to Elladan, the huge smile on Estel's face was worth every single gold coin they had spent. His younger brother had been much too serious too many times in the last few years.

~ ~

Later that day, Estel suggested to Legolas a brief walk outside the town. He wanted to be alone with Legolas when he gave him the ring. They walked through the autumnal woods. The rain had, at least temporarily, ceased, and the evening sun broke through the remaining golden, red, yellow and rust coloured leaves. It was a windstill, peaceful afternoon. Estel and Legolas walked in companionable silence for quite some time until they stopped in a small forest glade that still held some autumn-yellow soft grass. Without needing to talk, they sat down together and enjoyed the moment. After a while, Estel said:

"I have a present for you." With these words he took out a small soft leather pouch that contained the ring with the blue stone and golden leaves.

"This is for you. It is a token of my affection. Something to remember me by when I am gone." With a somewhat bittersweet smile, Estel took Legolas' hand and tipped the ring into his hand. Legolas gasped with surprise.

"It is beautiful! Estel…" Legolas was at a loss for words, his dark eyes huge and full of emotion.  

Estel took the ring and carefully slipped it on Legolas left index finger. It was a good fit.

"Will you wear it?" There was a question in Estel's eyes.

"Estel! Of course I will. ….  How can I thank you for this?" 

Estel's answer to that was to embrace the elf and hold him very tight. "Do not feel you have to. I am pleased to see that you like it." He looked at Legolas with a huge grin that was only slightly belied by the lingering sadness in his eyes. 

~ ~

Some time later, the pair was on their way back to Bree and the Prancing Pony. Both had enjoyed the day – it had been unpressurised and they had had much time just to themselves. Now it was time to join the others again.

By the time they arrived back at the inn, Elladan, Elrohir, Halbarad and Tharamir were downstairs in the bar room, waiting for the evening meal. When Estel and Legolas entered the room, Elrohir was about to make a flippant remark about their tardiness and how they spent their time, when Elladan nudged his brother, and, once he had Elrohir's attention, simply shook his head. Knowing his twin extremely well, he knew what Elrohir had been about to do, and the bar room of the Prancing Pony was not the right time or place for this type of remark.

Once everyone had exchanged greetings, Halbarad ordered food and drink for everyone. As on the previous evening, the food was good and plentiful, this time a strong vegetable soup with freshly baked bread and cheese.

Whilst the scouting party ate and talked about the events of the day, the room was filling up. Locals, other travellers from near and far and even the occasional hobbit congregated in the inn, got drunk together and exchanged news. Both elves and rangers noticed that no one neared their table. In Bree, strangers were common, but neither elves nor rangers were frequent visitors. Lack of contact of local people with elves and rangers had led to the increase of rumours and estrangement. 

But neither elves nor rangers were bothered by the lack of welcome by the locals. In contrast to the previous weeks, they were warm, dry and had plenty of food. After their meal, they remained at their table and discussed the plans for the next days. Elladan and Elrohir pressed for a return to Rivendell, they knew that Elrond was waiting and was probably growing concerned by this stage. 

Halbarad and Tharamir wanted to wait a few days because Tharamir's foot was still not fully healed. Neither Estel nor Legolas contributed much to the discussion, both being torn between wanting to return to Imladris and the knowledge that Legolas would have to leave to return to Mirkwood.

In the end the decision was taken for the three elves and Estel to return to Rivendell after one further day of rest, and for the two rangers to join them as soon as Tharamir could travel unaided.

TBC.  Please review!


	10. Chapter 10

**Autor's note: Thanks for those of you who reviewed. It is encouraging to know that people like my story; and it is interesting for me to find out which parts people like best (or least, for that matter…)**

**Please keep the feedback coming, it makes a big difference to me writing this story. Let me know what you think – good or bad? **

Chapter 10 – To Make A Choice.

The bar room of the Prancing Pony was very crowded. Liselle was busy trying to fulfil everyone's wishes but had a hard time keeping up with all the customers. Therefore many people went to the bar themselves to collect their drinks rather than waiting for the drinks to be brought to a table.

Legolas, who was sitting at the end of the table between Elrohir and Elladan, offered to get new drinks for everyone. Estel went with him to help him carry the drinks. As they approached the bar, they realised that they would have to push through a crowd of men to get to the bar, something that neither of them enjoyed. During the last two days they had found that the men frequenting the Prancing Pony tended to be on the rough side, and many of them did not care much for washing themselves or their clothing. This resulted in a distinct odour that neither Legolas nor Estel enjoyed, and especially not concentrated in a crowd. But if they wanted the drinks, they had to squeeze through. Finally they were able to order for the drinks they wanted, and Legolas got out his belt pouch to pay for the beverages. The movements of his hands caught the attention of one of the men they were squeezed up against.

"That is a surprise! This is the ring that I sold to the other young elf earlier today. It is one of my finest pieces. I never thought I would see it again!" The man was the silversmith who had sold Estel the ring earlier in the day.

"Has your friend given this to you?" Legolas simply nodded and hoped that the man would leave it at that.

But he did not. "I always thought this ring would go to a lady, although I can see why your friend has given this to you. It suits your colouring. I hope you like it." The man smiled at Legolas, clearly proud of his work and craftsmanship.

"It is a beautiful ring. Thank you for making it."

Several bystanders had overheard their conversation. One of them muttered:  "He is pretty enough for a lady, everyone knows that elves do unnatural things with each other."

Another man, with a swarthy complexion and greasy hair, looked Legolas up and down, and then said with a leering grin: "I wouldn't mind doing unnatural things with someone like him…" and tried to put his arm around Legolas' waist.

Faster than he ever thought possible, the man's arm had been twisted back. "No one touches me without my consent!" Legolas' eyes flashed with fury. He hated to be touched by strangers, particularly in this way. He had more than enough of this when he was younger, and would not tolerate it now.

Estel had moved next to Legolas, and in a supportive gesture, had put his hand on the elf's shoulder. Neither he nor Legolas were even aware of the gesture, it was so natural for both of them that neither had noticed.

But the greasy-looking man had noticed. "You do not seem to mind to be touched by your_ friend_ there! Stuck-up elf!" Estel quickly dropped his hand from Legolas shoulder, he did not want to make a bad situation worse. They could do without getting into a fight, although he had no doubt that these people were no match for Legolas and himself.

By now Halbarad, Tharamir and the twins had noticed the commotion. Halbarad got up, trying to defuse the situation. "Legolas, Estel, do not rise to this. He is not worth a fight."

"What do you mean, he is not worth a fight?" demanded another man angrily.

At this point Barliman Butterbur decided to intervene. He did not trust the rangers or the elves but they were good customers, and he definitely did not want a fight that threatened to turn ugly in his bar.

"Mike, just leave it alone. You asked for what you got, either leave these gentlemen alone or take your leave. I will not have a fight in bar."

Barliman placed the drinks that Legolas had bought on a tray, and motioned Legolas, Estel and Halbarad to follow him to their table.

" It is not the first time that Mike Ferny has caused trouble. And I daresay he will do it again." With a sigh, Barliman left their table to return to his duties behind the bar. In the meantime, normal conversations around the room had resumed, but an underlying tension remained.

"I do not wish to stay here any longer than necessary. Elladan, Elrohir – would you mind leaving tomorrow?" Legolas knew he did not have to ask Estel how he felt about staying here.

Halbarad sighed inwardly. This incident would have done nothing to encourage Estel to take up his heritage, if indeed he knew about it in the first place. A talk with Elrond was rapidly becoming an urgent issue for the ranger.

The decision was quickly taken. The twins, Estel and Legolas would forego the extra day of rest and return to Rivendell. Halbarad and Tharamir would follow as soon as Tharmir's foot allowed the journey.

The party had their drinks and then, to Barliman Butterbur's relief, they left to retire to their rooms.

Estel was quiet until he and Legolas reached their room. When the door had closed behind them, he turned and enclosed Legolas in a tight embrace. 

"If this is what we would have to face amongst men, I do not wish to life among them."

Legolas had feared such a reaction. Although he had been angered by the incident, it had not surprised him. He had seen enough of humans in his life to not trust them easily – for him, Estel did not count as an ordinary human, and the rangers were different again.

"You have not seen enough of humans to take this decision, Estel. But come now, if we want to leave early tomorrow, we need to get some rest."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

They got up early next morning. When they went downstairs for breakfast, Liselle, the barmaid, was serving their food again. She smiled at them. " I am sorry you had such a bad experience here yesterday, Master Legolas." She sighed. "Mike Ferny is trouble. I cannot remember into how many fights he got over the years. Barliman Butterbur told me that you and the other two elves will be leaving today. Can I make you some food for the day?"

"Thank you for your concern, Liselle. I am unharmed," Legolas smiled at the girl, "except perhaps my pride. But I will live. Yes, if you could pack some food, we would be grateful."

Shortly afterwards, the twins and the two rangers joined them at the table. After they had eaten, the girl returned with a bag full of food. "There should be sufficient for four for a couple of days." 

"Thank you very much." Estel and Legolas spoke at the same time, and all three laughed.

After their meal, they all quickly packed, settled the bill and made ready to depart. Liselle saw them to the door. Estel was the last to leave, and when he walked past her, Liselle lightly touched his arm.

"Master Estel? Please forgive me for being so bold but … I just wanted to … I really do not know how to say this… I have seen how you and Legolas look at each other. I do not mind, and it is none of my business. But for the likes of Mike Ferny, and many others, it does matter… If you come here again, you should try not to … well,… not to be quite so obviously in love with him." By this time, Liselle was blushing furiously, and so was Estel. And yet, he appreciated her concern. It was kind and courageous of her to give him this warning.

"Thank you, Liselle. I will try to remember. Fare well. " And despite his obvious embarrassment, Estel smiled at the girl, and in turning, he leaned in and gave her a brief, innocent kiss on the cheek. If possible, both blushed even more. 

Estel turned, and quickly caught up with the others who were waiting for him. They had seen the brief exchange. "What was all that about?" asked Elrohir. 

"I'll tell you on the way."

Liselle never forgot the day when she was kissed by an elf.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A few days later.

In Rivendell, Lord Elrond of Imladris stood mixing tinctures and poultices for the winter. Whilst his hands were busy with the herbs, part of his mind wondered to his loved ones. On more than one occasion, Elrond had admitted to himself that he felt lonely. His marriage to Celebrian had not been a love match, it had been a political arrangement between different elven realms. They had respected each other, and there had been companionship and trust, and initially some physical affection. But after she had fallen in captive to the orcs, she had never been untroubled again, and finally left for the Undying Lands. Elrond still missed her company, before her encounter with the orcs, she had been a delightful, carefree companion with whom he had spent many enjoyable hours, even if they had never experienced the depth of feeling which he had hoped for in his marriage. 

Depth of feeling … Elrond had only once in his long life truly loved another, bar his children. But this affection was not returned, could not be returned. In Elrond's mind the image of Gilraen was now as vivid as it had been on the day of her arrival in Imladris. She had been a tall, slender women with the dark hair and grey eyes of the Numenoreans, and a flawless, pale complexion. Her movements were fluid and graceful. But her heart had been given to her husband, and she had not been able to overcome the grief when he fell. She tried, for the sake of her small son, who had so much inherited her looks. Elrond doubted that she ever knew how much she meant to him.

Whilst his hands continued to pour and mix, try, pour and mix again, Elrond's thoughts turned to his children. Estel, Gilraen's son. He had grown into a handsome young man who thought and acted much like an elf. He had found a partner whom he loved and who returned his affection, but they both would have decisions to make. Difficult ones. But these were for the future. Elrond smiled. He had promised himself that he would do everything possible to allow Estel and Legolas happiness, he still felt very guilty about all the years that he had shunned Legolas and thus taken the joy out of what could have been happy times for the two of them. He hoped they would return soon, he was getting more than a little bit concerned about their late return from the scouting mission.

Elrond's thoughts moved to Elladan. Always aware of his role as the eldest. Often too serious and yet, if Elrohir managed to get pass his reserves, able to show a wicked sense of humour. Elladan had not yet found a partner, in fact, Elrond was not even sure whether Elladan preferred males or females, or whether he had no preference. Elrond wished for Elladan to find a partner who would appreciate his thoughtful nature and who could and would respect the deep bond that he shared with his twin brother.

Elrohir. Light-hearted and spontaneous, definitely not ready to settle down but ever ready for new adventures – and that included adventures with lovers. Elrond knew that his son had brief relationships with a number of elf maidens and some human girls as well. But strangely enough, he had always managed to dissolve these alliances without leaving any visible hurt. Elrond did not believe that Elrohir would settle down with a partner in the near future.

And then Arwen, his only daughter. Beautiful and wilful, she left to live in Lothlorien with her mother's people years ago. Elrond admitted to himself that he missed Arwen greatly, they had clashed many times and yet he missed her cheerful laughter and great beauty. She had not been in Imladris much in the last thirty years. She, too, had not yet found a partner. 

Elrond sighed. He did not know how this had come about, but Arwen's greatest wish had always been a family. This was unusual for an elf, perhaps her human heritage contributed to this desire. Most elves did not plan or even particularly desire children, when a union resulted in young ones, they were welcomed and cherished, but it was rare for elves to feel a true desire for procreation. Perhaps this was one of the reasons why elves were fading, a race without a true desire to recreate itself, even an immortal one, was doomed to disappear from history. 

Elrond remembered how Arwen had reacted to Estel when she saw him first. He was less than two years old, and could just about walk, but not very steadily. For some reason he had taken a fancy to the tall elf-maiden who was his adopted sister, and had tried to follow her wherever she went on this visit. And Arwen had adored the small dark-haired human child who clung to her robes. When he fell, she would pick him up, she would sing for him when it was time for him to sleep, and help him feed himself at meal times. She played with him and even helped to clean him up when he had 'accidents'. 

Arwen and Estel had only met one other time when Estel was about thirteen years old. At that age he was almost painfully thin, tall, and seemed to consist mainly of uncoordinated arms and legs. Acutely aware of his shortcomings in front of his beautiful foster sister, he had stayed out of her way as much as he could. Elrond had always regretted this, it meant that his daughter and foster son hardly knew each other. Fortunately for Estel this stage had only lasted for a few months until he had got used to his new height and body shape. Elrond knew that for some human youngsters this awkward stage lasted much longer before their bodies found their more or less adult shape. Estel had been fortunate in this regard.

All of a sudden, Elrond's musings were interrupted by some commotion outside. He quickly stepped on his balcony and saw that Elladan, Elrohir, Estel and Legolas had returned. All looking healthy and not much worse for the wear. Smiling, he quickly went downstairs into the yard to welcome them.

"Ada!" Estel stepped forward and embraced his foster father. Elrond returned the gesture and then also hugged his other two sons. He finally turned to Legolas, hesitated for a moment and then embraced him as well.

"I hope you don't mind, Legolas, but it is good to see all of you back safe and sound." Legolas smiled at Elrond. He did not mind at all, although part of his mind could still not believe the change in Elrond's attitude.

Elladan said: "We hope you are well and not too concerned about us. We know we are much later than planned – but a lot of things have happened. We have a lot to tell you."

"Where are Halbarad and Tharamir?" asked Elrond.

"They will return a few days later. Tharamir has broken his ankle – believe it or not, he fell out of a tree! – but he is almost mended."

Listening to their talk and news, Elrond followed his sons and their friend into the house.

In honour of their return he asked the cooks to prepare a feast, tonight they would celebrate. Tomorrow he would have to speak with Legolas about his father's letter, or perhaps he would wait just a couple of days with this. He wanted Estel and Legolas to have some carefree days here in Imladris before showing them Thandruil's letter. The delay would not make any difference since it was too late in the year for Legolas to return to Mirkwood anyway.

Elrond felt strongly that he wanted Estel and Legolas to have some happy time together, he was acutely aware of the fact that he had contributed to making both their lives much more difficult than they could or should have been for several years. This could not be undone, but he could do everything in his might to help them to be happy at least for the moment.

The weary travellers unpacked and cleaned themselves up, and then everyone and most of Elrond's household congregated in the Hall of Fire. And so this evening became one of those rare occasions that are like moments frozen in time, almost to perfect to be true. There was plenty of food, music to dance to and most importantly, friendship and love. And as Elrond watched his sons enjoying themselves, he reflected that even though he sometimes felt lonely, there were other times when he counted himself blessed by the Valar. And tonight was one of them.

TBC.   **Please review! **


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! **

**I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**~ ~ ~ ~ ~ **

**Chapter 11 - To Make A Choice**

The next morning, Elrond slept slightly longer than usual. He realised just how little he had rested in the last few nights, waiting for his sons and Legolas to return. After he got up and readied himself, he made his way towards the Great Hall to have some breakfast. On his way, he passed Elladan's room, and somewhat to his surprise he heard several voices and quiet laughter.

He knocked on the door, and, on hearing Elladan's 'Enter', he opened the door. He found an unexpected scene. There was Elrohir, fully dressed and ready for the day, sitting in a chair at the foot of his brother's bed. Elladan, dressed, but his hair still unbraided, stood in front of his open wardrobe, and it looked as if most of its content had made its way onto Elladan's bed. Legolas stood in front of Elladan, currently only dressed in a pair of ill-fitting leggings, his hair unbound.

Elrond was so surprised that he just stared at the scene. Seeing the expression on his face, the three younger elves started laughing.

"Legolas has not got any spare clothes, he needs something to wear" explained Elladan.

 "Estel is still sleeping, and anyway, his clothes will not fit Legolas. So he came to ask me for something to wear, but we are having difficulties finding something that fits and that suits him at least reasonably well."

"You are just too thin, Legolas," teased Elrohir.

"I am just normal," was the slightly indignant reply.

Elrond asked:" Is there anything left in your wardrobe, Elladan?"

"Not much."

Trying to hide his amusement, Elrond asked: "Have you found nothing that fits better than these leggings?"

"Not really."

Elrond looked at the slender Mirkwood elf. Superficially, the twins and Legolas appeared to be of similar body build, whereas Estel was broader, but seeing Legolas in Elladan's leggings showed clearly that young archer was even slimmer than the twins. 

"Later today we will see that we can get you measured for some new clothes. Legolas, you will not be able to return home before the winter. The passes are closed, you will have to stay here for the winter, and we will enjoy having your company for this time."

Legolas looked at Elrond, not the least bit embarrassed by sitting in front of Elrond half undressed.

The thought that he might not be able to return home had already occurred to him. "Thank you for letting me stay. I will have to contact my father. He will not like this." 

After a brief pause, he added with a brilliant smile that changed his dark eyes to a sparkling blue: "But I do. I like the idea of staying here with Estel and all of you very much. "

Elrond looked at the prince and asked himself yet again why they had disliked Legolas earlier. That question would probably never be answered fully.

But for the time being, the most urgent issue was to find some clothes for Legolas. He had only brought a small pack of summer clothes with him to Imladris, and had taken these clothes along onto the scouting mission, where they lost most of their equipment. Therefore, he had only the clothes he bought in Bree and the set of clothes he had worn to Bree. Both sets were badly travel stained and not fit for wearing before they had been cleaned.

"Before even more of the morning passes, Legolas, you will just have to make do with some of these clothes. Elladan, just give him one of these tunics, whether they fit or not. We will have you fitted for new clothes later."

Elrond fished a maroon tunic out of the pile of Elladan's clothing. Legolas slipped the garment on gratefully, even though this, too, was not a good fit. 

Elladan and Legolas quickly braided each other's hair – this was always much easier when done by someone else - and then everyone was ready to go for breakfast.

Elrond looked at the young prince. He did have to admit that the borrowed clothes looked odd on the young archer, the normally tight fitting leggings were baggy and bunched up at the top, the tunic was too wide in the shoulders and the sleeves too long. Quite apart from the fact that the deep maroon suited Elladan's darker colouring, but made Legolas look very pale, almost ill. 

Fortunately, Legolas was not very concerned about his appearance, something that Elrond appreciated. Not all nobility would show such an easy acceptance of the situation.

Breakfast was an enjoyable affair. The prior evening, Elrond had been told some of the most important findings of the mission and shad been give a brief report of what had happened during the journey. But most of the time had been spent simply relaxing and catching up, so there was plenty to tell at the breakfast table. Elrond listen for the most part quietly as the twins recounted many of the larger and smaller events and incidents of the journey. And it struck him forcefully that something would have to be done about Estel's obvious lack of knowledge about the human world. 

Elrond knew, of course, how little Estel had been exposed to humans, but it was only now, listening to his sons and the prince's tales, that he realised how difficult the transition between the world of the elves and the world of men would be for someone as young and inexperienced as Estel. 

At this moment, the object of his musings appeared, looking scrubbed and clean, but also still very tired. The three elves and the young man had set a hard pace to get back to Rivendell and had not stopped much. Estel's pride had not allowed him to admit how tiring he found the pace, and so he kept up. But he was exhausted by the time they made it to Rivendell, and the previous night had not been early.

"Estel! You have slept for half of the morning!" Elrohir smiled at his human brother. He knew that Estel was weary; it was obvious from the dark circles under his eyes.

Elrond only took one look at his foster son. "Estel, you are exhausted. Back to bed, and I do not wish to see you before midday. Legolas will bring you some food."

Legolas nodded, he, too, could see that Estel was far from rested.

"Ada! I will not be pampered like this. I will stay and spend my time together with everyone else this morning." With a stubborn expression, Estel made ready to get some food for him.

"Estel, do not be silly. We can all see how tired you are. Go to bed, you will feel much better in a few hours. In the mean time, we will fit Legolas with some new clothes. He will have to stay here for the winter since the passes are already closed."

Estel looked at Legolas. Their eyes locked, and then a huge grin lit up Estel's tired face. He stepped forward and embraced Legolas in a tight hug, one of the rare occasions he had done this with others present.

"That is great. But what will your father say?" Concern clouded Estel's bright smile. Legolas shrugged his shoulders. This was a bridge to be crossed when they got to it.

Legolas disentangled himself from Estel, took Estel's plate and went to get an assortment of food he knew Estel would like. Elrond firmly sent Estel to his room, and Legolas followed him.

Once he arrived at Estel's room, he found that Estel had only taken of his boots and had curled up on top of the duvet.

"Estel, you are exhausted. Why did you not tell us that the pace was too fast on the way home? We could have stopped more often and you could have slept."

"No, Legolas, I did not want to appear to be the weakest link in the chain. I did not want any special consideration because I am human."

"Oh Estel… Your brothers and I love you just the way you are. It would not have mattered to either your brothers or myself to arrive a day later. Do you really think it would have made a difference? And now you are utterly exhausted. Come, eat this."

Legolas pointed to the plate with food he held. Estel's face lit up. Apart from being tired, he was also very hungry. He took the plate and began to eat. Halfway through the plate his eyelids began to get very heavy. Legolas took the unfinished meal away, gently pushed Estel over, and spread a thin blanket over the young human. "Sleep, Estel. I will see you later." Estel did not protest, his tired body ached for more sleep, denying this would have been futile. Legolas kissed him chastely on the forehead, and quietly left.

Elrond decided to wait with talking to Legolas about his father's letter. It would come up soon enough.

Whilst Estel slept, Legolas was taken to the seamstresses and measured for new clothes. He chose simple fabrics and designs, in his customary greens and browns. Legolas had never liked elaborate clothing and still found the robes worn in Imladris impractical. He had noticed that neither Estel nor the twins tended to wear robes, bar on formal occasions. He was just wondering whether he should ask for at least one formal garment when Elladan joined him.

"What have you chosen so far, Legolas?"

"Well, just some leggings made from this …" he pointed to a pile of tan material, " and some tunics made from that…," indicating another type of fabric.

Elladan frowned. "You need something more formal for the Midwinter celebration. I have noticed you do not like formal clothing, but you are nobility, and on that occasion it will be expected."

Legolas sighed. He knew that, of course, but had delayed choosing anything more ceremonial. Elladan regarded the range of materials critically. Finally his eye was caught by a midnight blue material, which was delicately embroidered with deep green thread. He picked up the lengths of material and held it against Legolas, wrapping it around his friend.

There was a gasp. Both Elladan and Legolas turned, the latter still enfolded in the blue material. It was one of the seamstresses, a young elf maiden who now blushed furiously.

"This should make a nice robe for you, Legolas. It really suits you." Elladan unwrapped Legolas from the fabric, and decided that he would return later and give the seamstresses a few instructions concerning the garment to be made.

Legolas ran his hand over the material. "It is very nice. Thank you, Elladan."

After their visit to the seamstresses, Elladan suggested a ride before the noon meal. Legolas agreed, and soon they were enjoying a crisp ride in the clear autumn hair. They did not race but simply enjoyed each other's company and that of their horses. The air was still and the coloured leaves of the autumnal woods beautiful. Legolas felt a profound sense of peace, which he had not been able to enjoy in Mirkwood for many years.

After a while, by unspoken agreement, they stopped and dismounted. Leaving the horses to feed on whatever grasses, herbs and leaves they could find, the two young elves sat down next to each other at the bole of a mighty ancient beech tree, legs stretched out in front of them. Neither said anything, words were not needed. Legolas leaned back against the tree and became acutely aware of the life force of the tree against his back, and at the same time he was also conscious of Elladan's slight movements at his side. After a while, these stilled, and both elves' eyes glazed over as their minds began to wander. Finally, Elladan's head sagged to the side and came to rest against Legolas' shoulder and neck.

Legolas did not mind. With slight amusement he noted that Elladan's dark, silky hair smelled of the same herbal tincture that Estel used to wash his hair. Elladan was sound asleep, he obviously needed etra rest as well. Legolas realised that between the twins and himself a deep bond of friendship had grown over the summer, but, he admitted to himself, he liked Elladan the better of the two. He was less impulsive and prone to rash actions and words than his brother. Legolas could not imagine quiet moments like this with Elrohir, something would inevitably happen to disturb the peace. 

Part of Legolas' mind still refused to believe that relationships with everyone in Imladris had really changed so much in one brief summer. And yet they had, and he was more than grateful for this. Legolas allowed his mind to wander home to his own woods and forest, and to his father. They did not always agree and yet he missed his father. Slowly his thoughts unfocused and he drifted way as well.

A while later, Elladan woke up and found himself leaning against Legolas' side, whose face was now resting against his own hair. The slight movement caused by Elladan's waking also woke Legolas, but neither moved out of their current position. Both felt a deep sense of contentment and comradeship, so they allowed themselves a few moments of closeness and near intimacy. 

Finally Elladan stirred and shifted so that he could see Legolas' face. "Legolas, I want to ask your forgiveness and apologise for all these years of not giving you a chance. I bitterly regret this for your and Estel's sake, but my own as well. You have missed out on much happiness and Elrohir and I could have had a good friend all these years." Elladan's grey eyes locked with Legolas' dark ones.

Legolas smiled at the dark-haired elf." Apologies accepted. I am sure I have also contributed to the situation. I learned early not to show my feelings and for you, that must have looked like coldness. You love Estel and wanted to protect him. That is only natural."

Legolas sighed and continued. " Most people cannot know how difficult it is to grow up as the only heir to a kingdom and being perceived as exceptionally beautiful. I often do not feel it, but I know how others see me. From being very young, there were many who tried to court me, but none of them cared for _me_. I decided early that the only way not to get hurt would be not to let anyone close. So, by the time I met Estel, I was still … very inexperienced. And I would have never things go as far as they did on that evening if I had not had far too much wine. I have to admit that was very curious about Estel, and perhaps there was attraction as well, right on that first evening… until that evening I had never allowed myself to feel attraction to another, let alone to act on such feelings. But with Estel it was different … I don't really know why…" He trailed off.

Elladan looked at him." Estel told me about this first evening. He was attracted to you right from the beginning. He never said much about this, but I guess it must have been his first time as well. He was still very young when you met."

Legolas blushed, and yet he only felt mildly uncomfortable. Somehow it did not feel wrong to sit here in this beautiful forest and discuss some very private issues with Elladan.

"Elladan? Have you ever loved anyone?"

It was Elladan's turn to sigh. "No, not in the sense that you and Estel love each other. I do not think I have ever really been attracted to another, and I find I cannot share a maiden's bed just for physical pleasure. Elrohir does, and somehow he always manages to remain unhurt. But I also have not yet heard complaints about him, either. I do not know how he does it…"

Legolas squeezed Elladan's shoulder. "One day, there will be someone for you, too. You are beautiful in body and soul, surely you know that…"

"I do not know about that … And I have a brother who looks much the same and appears to be much more attractive to maidens than I am."

"You want something different from a relationship than Elrohir. Do not do yourself an injustice by comparing Elrohir and yourself too closely – you may look alike, but in personality you are very different. And as far as looks are concerned, well, to me you are very attractive…"

Legolas regarded the young elf sitting next to him for a long moment. He was telling the truth, Elladan was beautiful, in a quiet way. His beauty was not stunning, but subtle. Fair of face, with dark hair and grey eyes, and a slender and graceful body, his Noldor heritage was obvious. Elladan reminded the Mirkwood elf of a still lake at night under the stars. 

"You will find someone, Elladan. I am sure of it. Are you only interested in maidens?"

Elladan shook his head. "Not really. For me the person is more important than their body, although I appreciate beauty when I see it, but beauty in body and soul can be found in both males and females." After a pause, he added:

"Legolas? I am glad you and Estel found each other."

They regarded each other in silence for a long moment. Many unspoken words passed in this moment. Appreciation of each other's physical appearance, and acknowledgement of that appreciation, but also the ready admission by both that there was no attraction, nor should there be. Both thought of Estel. There were also feelings of regret, and of growing friendship and trust. This summer had brought each of them another good friend. And both liked that. They smiled at each other.

With a slight nod of his head, Legolas broke the sombre mood between them. "Let's get the horses and return. The others must wonder where we are by now…"

He also wondered whether Estel would be up when they returned.

He was. After Elladan and Legolas had returned their mounts to the stables, they quickly washed and made their way to the Great Hall for their meal. They met Estel on the way. He looked much better for the few extra hours sleep, his eyes were sparkling and his face much less drawn than before. When he saw Legolas and Elladan approach, he waited for them and briefly embraced Legolas and then asked them what they had done.

Legolas and Elladan looked at each other. "We went for a ride through the woods and then we had a little rest under a lovely old beech tree. And we spent some time talking."

"You mean both of you fell asleep!" Estel laughed. "At least I was not the only one…"

"Let's go for the meal." He slipped his arm around Legolas' waist, and together with Elladan they made their way to the hall.

Estel was gloriously happy. He was at home, his brothers were at home, and Legolas would stay for several months. Best of all, his friend and partner was now truly welcome in Imladris. He could tell that Elladan and Legolas had enjoyed themselves on their ride, and he was glad for them. The autumnal world held the promise of coming frosts, but Estel was certain that there would be no darkness in Imladris this winter.

TBC. **Please review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's note: Thank you everyone for the encouraging reviews, especially those of you who took the time to write a bit more. I still find it astonishing how many people read this story, and I value every review I receive.**

**This chapter has been somewhat slow in coming, but it is quite long, so that might make up for the delay.**

**~ ~ ~ ~ ~**

**Chapter 12 – To Make A Choice**

Later, same day.

Elrond was working in his study when Legolas knocked and asked him for a pen and parchment to write to his father.

This request had prompted Elrond to show Legolas Thandruil's letter. He watched as Legolas read the letter in stunned silence, and then saw a range of emotions flash over the younger elf's face. The prince's face reflected disbelief, anger, and finally hurt, in rapid succession, and eventually settled into an unreadable mask that Elrond remembered only too well.

"Thank you for showing this to me. At least I know now where I stand. I have always been aware of the fact that Father does not like my relationship with Estel, but I had not realised his disdain would go this far…" Legolas voice was cold, distant, and his dark blue eyes betrayed no emotion. But his hands had clenched into tight fists.

"If you excuse me, I would like to be by myself for a moment." With a courteous nod, Legolas turned to the door.

Elrond thought *This is all wrong. He should be screaming, or be angry or be crying, but not this.* In a split second, he took a decision. As Legolas passed him, the elf-lord gently took hold of his wrist.

"No, Legolas. Do not leave like this. This letter must have been a terrible blow for you. Come here." And with these words, Elrond pulled the younger elf in a loose embrace, allowing him to move away if he wished to do so. But Legolas did not. His carefully maintained composure collapsed, and the hurt and anger he felt broke through. He leaned against Elrond, tightly clutching the elder's robes at his shoulders without even being aware of doing it. Elrond could feel the tension in the slender body before him. 

"How can my own father be so blind and not see that Estel and I love each other? Can he not see we truly love each other? If I had wanted someone to give me pleasure," Legolas laughed bitterly, "that I could have had easier. I could have chosen an elf from Mirkwood as a companion, and could have shared his or her bed every night, rather than seeing Estel only a few months every year."

Elrond said nothing. There was nothing he could say to ease Legolas' anguish. 

"It is obvious from this letter that my father does not want me to see Estel again once I leave here. I know well what my choices are; I have spent many nights thinking about them. What am I going to do?"

Legolas loosened the hold he had on Elrond's shoulders, and with a resigned sigh, sat down on one of the chairs.

"I have always known that Father does not approve of Estel, but I did not realise he objects so much … he never said… He made it clear in a hundred ways but never as open as this … maybe I should have asked …" Legolas realised he was rambling on.

Elrond had moved behind Legolas and gently laid a hand on the younger elf's arm. "Legolas, I have to admit that when I read this letter, I was angry, very angry at your father. But I can tell from this letter that he loves you much … he is afraid of loosing you, and lashing out against Estel is his way of protecting you and himself."

"If you and Estel are bound, you will fade. You are your father's only child whom he loves, but you are also the heir to his kingdom. Your choice does not only affect you, Legolas. You are Mirkwood's prince, whether you wish to be or not. If you fade, your father's kingdom is without an heir of your bloodline. You know this, I imagine you have spent much time worrying about this already."

"Estel, too, has not only himself to consider. I cannot yet see his destiny clearly but the throne of Gondor and Arnor is his by right. Should he take this up, he will find himself in a similar situation as your father, he will need an heir. And as much as you care for him, this is something you cannot give him."

Legolas turned so that he could see Elrond. "Do you wish us to part as well?" he said, the hurt palpable in his voice.

Elrond smiled a small, sad smile that softened his features but did not reach his eyes. He reached out and pushed a few stray hairs out of Legolas' face. "No, young Prince Legolas, I do not with for you and Estel to part, for I know that the grief this would cause would harm both of you greatly. I have also seen how much you care for each other, I do not wish to destroy what you have for the sake of an uncertain future. I do not know what the future holds, perhaps there will be options we do not yet know."

"But what shall I do?"

"You will stay here for the winter. I promised your father to treat you as one of my own sons, with a set of duties fitting your abilities and station. When the passes are clear, you will return to Mirkwood, and you must talk to your father. Some things cannot be done by letter."

"And Estel?"

"Estel will have to make his own choices after the winter." Legolas looked at the elf-lord searchingly, but Elrond only slightly shook his head. "I need to talk to Estel as well." With that cryptic remark, Elrond went over to his desk and got a pen and parchment, which he gave to Legolas.

"You wanted to write to your father. You should still do this, but not before you have slept at least one night."

"Thank you. It will be a hard letter to write."

"Yes, that I do not deny." Elrond looked at the younger elf, who had regained his composure, and whose face was set in grim determination.

"Legolas, remember that you and Estel have the entire winter here together, and time to make decisions. Nothing needs to be decided today. Enjoy the time here with Estel as much as you can, you both deserve it." There was genuine affection in Elrond's voice and grey eyes, and Legolas was grateful for that.

"When you go now, please find Estel and send him here. I need to talk to him as well and we might just get it over with now."

Legolas nodded his thanks and farewell, and turned to leave. "Legolas, I am sorry this has marred your first day back here. I hope that, regardless what the future brings, Estel and you can be happy here for a few months. Imladris is not in vain called a refuge, enjoy our peace as long as you can."

"Thank you." Despite his inner turmoil, Legolas managed a grateful smile. He did appreciate Elrond's remark.

Deep in thought, he left Elrond's study. Almost without his will his legs carried him to the training range, where Estel was practicing sword fighting with Elrohir under the watchful eye of Glorfindel, Elrond's most renowned warrior and captain.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Elrond watched the prince leave. He had felt immense pity for the younger elf; this letter must have caused him unbelievable hurt. Thandruil must have known that his son would see it, it was not the sort of message Elrond would keep from Legolas. It also saddened Elrond that Legolas and Estel's time in Imladris would now be overshadowed by the worries caused by the letter. Elrond was amazed by Legolas' composure, his face betrayed nothing, he even managed to shield his eyes so that the swirling emotions in them would not be seen. The young elf had obviously had much practice in masking his feelings. And this, again, saddened Elrond. Legolas was too young for an elf to have become so skilled at hiding his feelings. He wondered how high the price for this had been. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Legolas watched Estel and his foster brother for a few moments. Both had taken their tunics off and their bodies were glistening with perspiration, even though the autumn air was cool. Yet again he was surprised at Estel's competence with the sword. Even though he lacked the speed and ability of elves, he was a good match for Elrohir. The outcome of the exercise was open, which, for a fight between an elf and a human, said something for Estel's prowess with the sword.

"Estel? Sorry for interrupting, but your father would like to speak to you." Estel and Elrohir immediately stopped their exercise, it had to be something important for Legolas to interrupt their training session like this.

"I am coming. Sorry, Elrohir, I do not know that this is about." Estel took a towel that he had brought with him and dried off before putting his tunic back on.

Legolas waited for him, his eyes guarded. "I cannot tell you what it is that your father wants to speak to you about. He did not tell me." There was an odd note in Legolas' voice. Estel looked at his partner closely. Something was not right, he could feel it. Something had happened that Legolas was not telling.

"Legolas? What is wrong?" Legolas sighed. He had hoped that Estel would not notice anything for the moment, but the young man knew him too well.

So, on the way back to the house, Legolas told Estel about Thandruil's letter. He did not go into details but Estel could read much between the lines. Estel was much less surprised than Legolas had been. He hugged his friend tightly.

"I am sorry, Legolas, to cause you this anguish. If only I were an elf, it would solve this entire issue! … I have expected such a reaction from your father for years, it has always been clear to me that he deeply dislikes me, or rather, dislikes the fact that I am human. He has never tried to see beyond the fact that I am human, in the same way that my family did not try to see beyond the fact that you are Thandruil's son.

"Estel, I do not wish you to be any other than yourself."

" I know. And for that I love you." He kissed Legolas; trying to relieve some of the worry and anxiety he could see in his partner's dark eyes.

"Will you wait for me whilst I speak to my father? I'll meet you in the garden."

Legolas nodded and headed for the gardens. He could do with some time to think, so this break was not unwelcome. He also wondered what important issue it was that Elrond wanted to discuss with Estel.

In the meantime, Estel had knocked on the door of Elrond's study, and opened it without waiting for a reply. Elrond was standing on the balcony, leaning on the railings. He did not turn when Estel entered.

"Estel." With that word, Elrond turned around. "I need you to know that whatever happens in the future and whatever choices you make, you are as dear to my heart as my own sons and daughter."

Estel looked at his foster father, wondering what would come next that warranted this assurance. "I know, Ada."

"I have listened carefully to everything that passed on your scouting mission with the rangers, and I believe that unless you spend more time amongst men, you will not be able to make a valid choice about your future. I know you do not like to hear this, but you know as well as I do that one day you will have told decide whether to stay here with us or whether you will follow the path of men. No one can make this decision for you, but at least we can help you to make it. You have lived your entire life amongst the Eldar, you have only seen small parts of how humans live."

" I have thought about this long and hard, Estel. In the spring I would like you to go and live with the rangers, at least for a couple of years. They are your people, it is your birthright to lead them, but you cannot do that if you do not know them and they do not know you."

Estel was too shocked to respond. So far he had never seriously thought about living anywhere else but Rivendell.

Elrond continued. "Elladan and Elrohir have always spent some time with the rangers, they will do so again. We will not forget you, and this will always be your home. But you must know more about your own people than you do now. When Halbarad and Tharamir come here in the next few days, I would like to suggest this arrangement to them, but not without your consent. Thank about this, and talk to Legolas."

Estel was still silent. His mind was swirling. A part of him agreed with Elrond, he had noticed himself how little he knew about men. The question was, did he want to know more? And what were the implications? Could he come back to Rivendell if he did not like living with the rangers? What about Legolas? The settlements of the rangers were in the furthest Northwest, probably about a two-month journey from Mirkwood. There were a hundred questions in his mind, but he only asked the one that was foremost in his mind:

"If I do not like it, can I come back?"

Elrond was touched by this response. He could see the confusion, doubts and worries in his foster son's face. And yet, his first concern was whether he could return to the only home he had known. Somewhere, somehow, they had succeeded on offering the orphaned human child a home that he loved and cherished. Amidst all his own doubts, Elrond was glad about that.

"Estel, as long as there are elves in Rivendell this will be your home. You will always be welcome here."

With these words, Elrond closed the distance between them and enclosed Estel in a tight embrace. "You are my fourth child, Estel. Always remember that."

They stood in silence for a long while, until Estel moved out of the embrace and said: "I need to speak to Legolas about this."

Elrond nodded. "Yes, and he needs to speak to you. I will see you later for the evening meal."

Estel went to find Legolas in the gardens. His mind was whirling with conflicting emotions and thoughts. All of a sudden, he also felt very tired. The journey had been exhausting, and then there had been the exhilaration of Legolas staying, the blow of Thandruil's letter, and now this. The young man felt overwhelmed and confused, and realised that what he really wanted was someone telling him what to do. Someone else to make his choices for him. And at the same time the realisation hit him that this was exactly what 'being grown–up' meant, having to make your own choices and live with the consequences. He sighed. He did not feel at all ready to make this decision. 

Estel saw Legolas sitting on the lower branch of a tree, leaning against the trunk. Estel quickly climbed up the tree and joined him, they had often sat like this in the past.

Legolas looked at him. "And? What happened?" The prince could see the confusion in Estel's eyes and face. Quickly the young man recounted the conversation with his foster father.

They sat in silence for a long time afterwards. "Your father is right, you know that," said Legolas suddenly. "You cannot make a decision on where and how to live if you only know one of your options. Going with the rangers would allow you to find out more about how they live. You an always come back here."

"But what about us?"

Legolas' eyes saddened. "We would not see each other for a while. The rangers' settlements are too far from my home, unless a mission takes you further east, meeting up would be difficult. I would not be able to leave my duties for such a long time, and I also do not believe that my father would permit it. He is not only my father, but also my king, and I am bound by duty and honour not to let him down him. Disappearing to the western parts of the country would not be acceptable."

"Legolas, what will happen to us in the future? How are we going to see each other?"

"I think we both will have to live without each other for some time to come. It will be difficult for both of us, but one day you will decide what you will do. And then we have to find an arrangement that allows us to see each other. Either I will spend some time with you, with the rangers or here in Rivendell; or you will come and visit me. We will find a way. Estel, you are still young for a human, we have a lot of time to work things out."

They sat in the tree and talked about their options for a long time into the evening. The evening meal came and went, but neither noted the time. It was only when the sun had disappeared, and the air grew cold and damp that they made their way back to the house.

They had not come up with any better option than Elrond's suggestion, both saw the sense in it even though neither liked the thought of a separation of indefinite length.

When they arrived back in the house, Legolas said: "It will please my father."

"What?"

"That I will see less of you." There was bitterness in the young elf's voice. Both were silent for a moment.

"Legolas, we have the entire winter here together. Let us make the best of it. It would have been nice not to have these decisions coming up now, but they have. But at least we will able to enjoy a few months here. Let us try not to have this time spoiled by what might come in the future."

Legolas nodded. Both were in a subdued mood for the rest of the evening.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was late. Elrond found he could not sleep after the conversation he had had with both Estel and Legolas. Both had been hurt today – the last thing he had wanted to happen on their first day after their return. And yet, he would not have wanted to deceive Legolas, the prince needed to know what his father had written. Talking with Estel was also urgent; he did not want to wait until Halbarad would arrive. These and other thoughts were churning around in Elrond's mind, so he decided to get up. He put on a robe and went through the hall to the main balcony of the house, which faced the valley and was lit by the moon and the stars.

He was only mildly surprised to find Legolas already there, leaning on the railing and watching the stars. 

He gave no acknowledgement of the older elf's presence. Elrond leaned on the railing next to Legolas. The wind stirred both of their long hair, blowing Legolas' blonde hair into Elrond's face. Still not speaking, the younger elf gathered the wayward strands and quickly braided them into a single loose braid that hung over his left shoulder. Elrond broke the silence,

"Are you not cold?" Even though elves are not affected by cold, they still feel it, and Legolas was only wearing a set of thin sleep clothes he had borrowed from Elladan.

"Oh … perhaps I am. I have not thought about it." Legolas shrugged his shoulders. He had been so deep in thought that he had not noticed how chill the night air was. Changing the topic completely, he said:

 "You must be very angry at my father after this letter."

Elrond regarded the prince with level eyes for a moment. "I admit that I was very annoyed when I read this letter first. But there is a part of me that understands your father. He loves you deeply, after your mother's death you were the only reason that kept him from fading."

With a sigh he continued. "Once your father and I were friends. We were never very close friends, but close enough for me to be invited to his wedding. How much has Thandruil told you about your mother and their wedding?"

"Not very much. I know that my father's marriage caused a rift between him and his father because my mother was of the Silvan people, not the Eldar. After her death, my father hardly ever talked about her, I think it pained him too much to think about her. I have been told that when I was very young my father would not look at me because I remind him too much of her. But I cannot remember that time. I was only an infant in arms when she was killed by orcs." Legolas tone was neutral, it was obvious that he had no memory of his mother.

"You do look like your mother. You have inherited her features and eyes, but you have your father's hair and skin. Your mother was of Silvan origin, so she was dark. I have only met your mother twice, on your parents wedding day, and one time afterwards. She was beautiful and gentle, but not weak. She was a good match for your father and I have rarely seen a marriage that was more of a love match than your parents'. They defied all customs and traditions and opted for a simple wood-elf bonding, not a royal ceremony. Your grandfather was furious!" 

Elrond smiled at the memory, and Legolas returned the smile. He could just about imagine the upset this would have caused. There was evidently a lot about his parents he did not know.

"Probably because the love between your parents was so great, your mother got pregnant almost immediately after the wedding. She carried the child to full term but it was wedged and died at birth. You had an older sister, Legolas."

Legolas stared at the elf-lord. His father had never mentioned this, and yet it explained much of the fierce protectiveness he displayed towards his son.

"Your mother was torn inside and lost a lot of blood. She grew weaker by the day and your father alerted me by messenger. I arrived in time to save your mother's life. You came along about two millennia later. By that time Oropher had been lost in the War of the Last Alliance, and your father has never come to terms with this. He still blames me for his father's death since it was I who commanded the elves on that day. And perhaps it was my fault, I have asked myself that question many times. Many lives were lost that day, perhaps if I had given different orders, some might still be alive."

"Legolas, for your father you are not only his only son and heir. You are also the one living connection he still has with your mother. Your father loved your mother beyond all reason, and much of this has been transferred to you. So he is overprotective and lashes out against anything and anyone he perceives as a threat to you. And that includes Estel and myself."

"But in the end Thandruil will have to accept that you will have to lead your own life. You will have to take your own risks and make your own choices. But I have no doubt that you and he will clash about this many times in the future yet. But never forget Legolas, whatever passes between you, your father loves you, loves you enough to risk alienating me even further at a time when he knows he might need allies. The darkness is growing and your father knows this, too."

"I had a sister? No one has ever told me!" Shock and incredulity were evident in Legolas' voice.

"Your sister never lived. Your parents probably wanted to spare you that knowledge."

"It all explains a lot about my father. I wish I had known this earlier."

"Perhaps I should not have told you since your father has chosen not to do so. But I did not wish you to judge your father too harshly, as hurtful and annoying his letter may be for you, Estel and myself. You will have to talk to your father, Legolas, and convince him that in the end your life is yours to live. And that includes loving whom you chose, much as he did himself."

Legolas was facing sideways again and was gazing across the dark valley. He was silently trying to absorb everything that Elrond had said. They stood leaning on the railings for a long time, until Elrond said: "Go to Estel. I know he will not sleep tonight. Comfort him and find some comfort yourself."

Legolas turned, a surprised look on his face. Whenever Estel and he had been at either family's home, they had not spent their nights together. They had agreed a long time ago that sharing a bed in their parental homes just did not feel right, even though both were past their maturity. But he had to admit that after everything that had happened this day, he would appreciate Estel's company very much.

The prince took a deep breath, and quietly thanked Elrond. Then he went inside.

Elrond looked at the retreating prince and shook his head. He was quite shocked to find how little Legolas knew of his mother, but yet again, he understood Thandruil. The less he talked about his wife, the easier it was to ignore the pain of her death. The elf-lord hoped that somehow or other, things would work out for Estel and Legolas. He could see and sense their affection, it was deep and true. Even a temporary separation would be hard for both of them, and yet it was necessary to allow Estel to become more familiar with the ways of men.

With that final thought, Elrond headed back towards his bed. It was getting very late.

TBC. **Please review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's note: Well, this is Chapter 13 and I have had over 100 reviews. Time to take stock…**

**I never thought that I would enjoy writing this story quite so much, and one of the reasons I enjoy this greatly is because of the feedback I have received.**

**Thank you, everyone, for your reviews. I am especially grateful to those of you who review more or less every chapter. To me, this is like an ongoing mental conversation, confirming what I am doing, suggesting new avenues and possible improvements. **

**If suggested alterations or improvements are 'in-character' for the characters as I have thought them out, and do not conflict with the story line, I try to accommodate them, but not all suggestions can be incorporated like this. But they still give me food for thought, and may be feed into future stories.**

**The next chapter will take a bit longer before it is posted because I am away for about a week, and will not be able to post before I return.**

**And now to the story …**

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Chapter 13 – To Make A Choice 

Estel woke up early the next day. It was a strange feeling to wake up in his own bed with Legolas sound asleep at his side. Estel lifted himself up to look at Legolas' face. The elf looked impossibly young and vulnerable, laying on his back with his eyes glazed over with sleep. And yet Estel knew that there was also a steely determination and great strength. If Legolas, son of King Thandruil, was determined to achieve something, it would take a lot to divert him from his path. Estel gently brushed some of Legolas' blond hair away from his face, and kissed him softly on the mouth. This woke Legolas, whose eyes focused. He smiled at Estel.

"Good morning, Estel. Have you rested at all?"

Estel nodded. The previous night, he had laid awake tossing and turning, trying to decide whether to go with the rangers or not, when there had been a gentle knock on the door. Legolas. They had talked for most of the night, about Legolas' conversation with Elrond, about their plans for the future, and about the options they had as a couple. In the early hours of the morning, both had been so emotionally and mentally drained that both of them dropped to sleep in Estel's bed of without any attempt of intimacy.

"Yes, but I feel still drained." It was unusual for Estel to admit any weakness; he always strove to be as strong as the elves he grew up with.

"So do I." Legolas sat up, and this admission was even more unusual. The prince's appearance showed that he spoke the truth. He was paler than usual and there were dark circles of exhaustion under his eyes. The previous day and night had been very difficult for him.

"But still, it is time to get up and get something to eat. We will probably feel better for it, we missed the evening meal yesterday. And then I will be glad to go to the seamstresses and collect some of my new clothes. I am tired of tired of wearing Elladan's, as much as I appreciate it that he let me borrow them!" At that comment, both young people smiled.

Estel encircled Legolas from behind with both arms. "Let's not yet get up. There is something much nicer I would like to do first." Without much resistance, Legolas turned into the embrace.

Some time later, they got up, had a wash and got ready for the day. They made it for breakfast just in time, but both the twins and Elrond noticed how tired they looked. Elrond just shook his head, these two had deserved better than having all these worries at the moment. 

Over breakfast they talked about how they would spent the next few months. Elladan and Elrohir were to return to their normal duties that included a regular rota of patrols, much like Legolas had to do in Mirkwood. Estel normally helped Elrond with collecting herbs and preparing nmedicines, and if needed, he would go out on patrols as well.

All of them trained with a range of weapons regularly, and went hunting to fill the cellars if the need arose.

Elrond wanted to keep his promise to Thandruil. He suggested that Glorfindel would assess Legolas' fighting and leadership skills and would then assign him whatever duties he saw fit. Beyond this Elrond insisted that Legolas attended negotiations with delegates from other races and elven communities. Rivendell had many contacts with the outside world, and Elrond was often asked to resolve disputes between men and elves, or even different groups of men. His wisdom was widely acknowledged. He was a fair judge, but also a cunning negotiator. Elrond knew that Legolas had not encountered many delegates from other races before, and that experiencing a wide variety of people would be a benefit to him when he returned home to his father's court.

Legolas was not looking forward to these sessions but decided that it would be both unwise and discourteous to object to this suggestion.

They agreed that Legolas should first collect his new clothes with Elladan, and then see Glorfindel. The others would take up their normal duties after this morning.

So, after breakfast, the older twin and Legolas made their way back to the seamstresses. Legolas' tunics and leggings were ready, made from the materials he had asked for, but his ceremonial robe was not yet ready. Legolas slipped into some of his new clothes with considerable relief, and thanked the seamstresses for their work.

"These do look better on you than my clothes." Elrohir smiled. " They did not fit and the colours were all wrong for you!"

"Thank you, Elladan, that is just what I needed to hear." Legolas gave the twin a friendly nudge.

"Legolas?"

"Yes? What is it, Elladan?"

"What is wrong? Both you and Estel look exhausted this morning. Have you argued?"

Legolas was touched by Elladan's concern. "No, not at all, on the contrary, we spent much of the night talking. Much has happened yesterday… I suppose you do not know yet, but there is no harm in telling you…" And Legolas told Elladan everything that had happened the previous day and night.

Elladan listened intently and then spontaneously embraced Legolas, a rare impulsive gesture for the older twin. "I am so sorry, Legolas .. for you and Estel." Words failed him. Their eyes locked and held for a moment.

"Thank you, Elladan."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Later that day, Glorfindel as the captain of Rivendell's warriors assessed Legolas' weaponry skills. During previous stays in Imladris, Glorfindel had already had some indication of Legolas' skill with the bow but he now decided to test him properly. Despite his thousands of years of experience, the elf lord was impressed. Rarely had he seen such talent with the bow, and never in someone this young. Legolas also excelled in using his two knifes.

It was equally obvious to Glorfindel that the young prince did not like using the sword. He was competent in using it, but lacked enthusiasm and a 'feel' for the weapon. In body build and training, Legolas was an archer, not a sword fighter.

Glorfindel paired Legolas with a number of different partners for unarmed hand-to-hand fighting. The young elf had obviously received expert training in this area. Of medium height for an elf and slight in build, at times he should have struggled to overcome much stronger opponents. But training and experience had taught him to use natural agility and speed to overcome this limitation. 

Altogether, Glorfindel was very impressed, but also saddened. Legolas' warrior skills were outstanding, but in someone so young this meant he had seen far more battles and skirmishes than he should have in his life. Growing up in Mirkwood had marked the young prince.

For the next day, Glorfindel organised a one-day training exercise. He wanted to get some measure of Legolas' leadership abilities, and this could only be done by watching him in a leadership role with others.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Estel had spent most of the day trying to collect a list of herbs that Elrond had given him, and then had spent some time practicing archery with his brothers. By the time the evening came, he felt much better. The physical exercise had distracted him from his worries and he was now looking forward to some weeks of relative peace and quiet. For now, he was at home, doing the things which he liked to do best, and Legolas was here as well.

Legolas, too, felt much better in the evening than in the morning. Despite his mental exhaustion, he had enjoyed the physical exercise. Although Glorfindel had not said much, the archer had the feeling that he had lived up to expectations, or had perhaps even exceeded them. He was now looking forward to a few weeks with Estel here in Imladris, where he now felt accepted and welcomed. 

The evening meal was a much less subdued affair than the breakfast had been. Normally the entire household took meals together, as far as possible. These meals were taken in the Great Hall in the house, and afterwards people often wandered over to the Hall of Fire to enjoy dancing, singing and music. 

This was what happened this evening, everyone, including Elrond and his advisors and Glorfindel, moved to the Great Hall. Instruments were tuned and used, songs and ballads were sang, and occasionally someone played a dance tune. Legolas and Estel sat together in a deep couch, contented and comfortable with each other's company. Estel put his arm around Legolas' shoulders, and pulled him close. This was his home, and now that his family had accepted Legolas, he was much less worried about showing his affection towards the prince. He would have liked to kiss him but that, he felt, went to far in public.

After some time, Elrohir came up to Legolas and asked him to sing a ballad to the lute. Legolas reluctantly agreed, he did not want to move out of his comfortable position against Estel's side. But he felt that as a guest he could not refuse. Elrohir was quite surprised; he had had not seriously expected Legolas to agree. He knew that the Mirkwood prince could play the lute, but he had not heard him sing and did not know whether he could sing. But if his harp play was anything to go by, the younger elf was a good musician.

It was not the first time Legolas would sing in public, but he had never enjoyed these occasions, and here most people were near strangers. But as a prince he was too well raised to refuse, so he accepted the lute that was handed to him and chose a well-known ballad for recital.

When he started the room grew quiet. At first, his voice was hesitant but then the notes rang pure and true. Legolas had a clear, strong tenor voice, and a good memory for tunes and words. When he finished, it was silent for a few brief moments and then there was enthusiastic applause and requests for further songs. Many in Imladris had seen the young prince throughout the years but up to this summer he had never participated in any gathering and few had expected the quiet, reserved prince to be able to sing so well.

But Legolas declined further requests and handed the lute back to Elrohir, asking him now to present a ballad. Elrohir nodded, and began another tune. He, too, had a fine voice, and soon the room was silent again. After that, someone else played a dance tune, and then there were more songs and dances. Estel and Legolas danced with each other, enjoying the intimacy of it. 

After a while, by unspoken agreement, they excused themselves, both being too tired to stay up any longer. On the way back to the house, Legolas said:" Perhaps things will not be so bad after all. I enjoyed tonight."

"I have enjoyed this evening as well. I wish you would sing more often, you have a good voice."

"You know I do not especially like to sing in public. Good night, Estel."  Legolas briefly hugged and kissed Estel, being too tired for any other show of affection.

"Good night, Legolas.  See you for breakfast."  

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After the training exercise the next day, Glorfindel approached Elrond about the role Legolas was going to have in Rivendell.

"He is more than ready for a small command and has commanded small groups of warriors in the last two years. I believe he should have his own patrol."

"You are the captain of the guard. If you think he is ready for it and the other warriors will follow him, there is no reason why he not be entrusted with this role. It would be good for our warriors to serve under him, and to get to know him. My foresight has told me that there are many battles yet to come here in Middle Earth and Legolas is the only heir of the Elven King. He may well have to play an important role for the future of these lands."

With this response, the matter was settled. Legolas became the leader of a small group of warriors, and his group was given a changing schedule of guard and scouting duties, just like the other warrior groups of Rivendell.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Later that day, Halbarad and Tharamir arrived in Rivendell. Elrond inspected Tharamir's ankle and declared it completely healed. There was a joyful reunion between the rangers, the twins and Estel and Legolas. After the two rangers had a chance to recover from their travels, Halbarad and Elrond with withdrew for a private conversation in Elrond's study.

Halbarad reported to Elrond in more detail than his sons, Estel and Legolas had done. They talked through the patterns of orc sightings, and what this emerging pattern might mean. Elrond had a suspicion, but he wanted to talk to Mithrandrir before he revealed these thoughts to others.

Then the conversation turned to some of the events that had happened along the way. Halbarad recounted some of the incidents, and then asked Elrond directly whether Estel was Aragorn, Arathorns son. Elrond admitted this readily.

"Elrond, you know I deeply respect you and your friendship. But I am very concerned that Estel – Aragorn – has grown up with extremely limited knowledge of his people. Does he know who he is?

Elrond sighed. "Halbarad, I have lived a long time but I am not infallible. We took Estel in as an infant, and he grew up here, amongst us. There always seemed to be time to deal with his human heritage later. I should have introduced him to human customs when he grew up, but it would have made him feel even more of an outsider than he already felt because he is mortal. And then, one day he had reached his majority and I had to tell him. And I admit my own failure here because Estel was completely unprepared for this, and even now I think he has not accepted his heritage completely."

Both were silent for a while, and then Halbarad said:" His relationship with Legolas complicates the matter further. By the Valar, why did he have to get himself into a relationship barely out of childhood!"

Elrond replied dryly: "I am sure Thandruil agrees with this sentiment on Legolas' behalf."

"Do you think there is any chance of them growing out of it? This type of relationship is just not acceptable amongst most men, with us rangers it is not so much of a problem, we see much and are not prone to rash judgements, but amongst other men ..."

"Halbarad, you have just spent several months with them. You have seen them together. Do you think they will grow out of it?

Halbarad silently remembered Estel and Legolas together throughout their journey. In his mind he saw that shy smile that Legolas seemed to have reserved for Estel alone, his tenderness towards the young human, they way he would always make sure that Estel was cared for before himself. He remembered the day when Estel gave Legolas the ring and the protectiveness Estel had shown in the Prancing Pony. No, this was not a relationship likely to falter.

"No. Unless they are separated by others, I do not believe they would part."

"They have always been fairly discrete. Others will have to accept them. I do not say that it will be easy for them, but, like you, I cannot see either of them ending this relationship soon. They have been together for too long now, and what may have started as youthful physical attraction has long ago changed into something much deeper."

"Halbarad, I know that Estel needs exposure to humans. I have already talked to him about this. I would like him to go and live with your group for an extended period of time, perhaps even a few years. He must learn more about humans, and you are his kin."

Halbarad nodded slowly. He would take the boy gladly although he had no doubt that it would be a big adjustment for him.

"I would take him gladly, you have raised him well, Elrond. He is a nice, well-mannered lad, and very good with the sword. I was also impressed with his tracking and healing skills. You have taught him well. But how did Estel react to this?"

"He sees the sense of it but is frightened of leaving here. Rivendell is the only home he has ever known. He also knows that going with you would mean at least a temporary separation from Legolas. I know they have talked about this, but I do not know what Estel has decided."

"If Estel agrees, I would be happy for him to join us in the spring."

After the conversation, Elrond called Estel and Legolas. He told them about the conversation with Halbarad and asked them what they had decided. It was Legolas who answered:

"We have decided that Estel should go. We both know that he does not know enough about humans."

"Estel?"

Estel said nothing but just sat with his head hung, looking at his knees. He slowly looked up and met his foster father's eyes.

"I know with my mind that I should go. But my heart tells me not to. I fear that when I come back I will be no longer Estel but might have become Aragorn, the ranger. I will loose my family and my friends, and perhaps even you, Legolas, will like me no longer. I am afraid of how I might change, of what I might become."

"Oh Estel! You will always be my son, regardless of how much you change and which name you bear. Do you not know that a father's love has no conditions? I love you like my own children, there are no strings attached. The same goes for Elladan and Elrohir, for them you will always be their brother. Do not fear that you will loose our love and friendship, for you will not."

Legolas had quietly laid his arm around the hunched shoulders of the young human, pulling him close. He simply said: "You should know by know that I love you no matter what happens. I do not care what name you use and how much you might change, because I know that deep down you will always remain the same Estel whom I met all these years ago."

"Then I guess I should go." With a deep sigh, Estel resigned himself to his fate. He looked at Legolas, who was still holding him. With a sad smile, he turned into the embrace and said: "We will find  a way, Legolas. We have to."

And so it was decided that in the spring Estel would leave to live with the rangers and Legolas would return home.

TBC.** Please review !**


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's note: Thanks everyone for your reviews!**

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Chapter 14 – To Make A Choice 

The weeks came and went. The twins and Estel returned to their normal routines and duties, and Legolas found that, after an initial adjusting period, he settled well into life in Rivendell. His time was almost evenly split between his patrol duty and time spent with Elrond. At first, he did not appreciate these sessions, but soon he realised how skilled Elrond was in appeasing angered individuals and achieving suitable outcomes for all. He begun to watch very closely, and after a while Elrond entrusted him with dealing with some of the easier trade negotiations by himself. 

He had at home participated in similar affairs, but his father's style was very different from Elrond's. His father used his authority and power as leverage; Elrond negotiated between different parties and outcomes. This took longer, but very often the achievements for Rivendell were much better than what Legolas knew his father's tactics would have achieved in a similar situation.

As far as his patrol duties were concerned, Legolas was amazed how easy it had been to take on the leadership of his patrol unit. He had had none of the problems he had faced at home, there were no feelings of resentment or jealousy because he was a prince. The warriors respected him because they saw his skills and appreciated them. They also realised that Legolas would take a decision quickly when needed, but also knew that he would, if at all possible, base any decision on consent, rather than on authority alone. So, much to his surprise, Legolas became soon popular amongst the Imladris warriors, with warriors vying to be in his unit. But none of the groups were larger than five, and Legolas' unit was no exception. 

Altogether, Glorfindel made no exceptions for Legolas and expected nothing other from him than from anyone else with similar duties. At home, Legolas always had had the feeling of having to perform better than everyone else, of having to somehow prove himself because he was a prince. Here, in Imladris, this element was absent, and Legolas was astonished how much of a difference this made. He promised himself that in the future he would not let any new acquaintances know that he was a prince, unless they found out otherwise.

Usually patrol duty involved two nights and three days on duty, with the same amount of time off. Many of the warriors also had other responsibilities, which had to be fitted into the days in between. For Legolas this meant that his sessions with Elrond were restricted to his non-duty days.

Estel also spent much of his time with Elrond, stocking up on herbs and medicines for the winter. He also went hunting with his brothers on a number of occasions. He wanted to go out on patrol duty with Legolas, but both Elrond and Glorfindel did not permit this, they felt that they would distract each other and also that since none of the other warriors could take their partners along, it might create resentment.

The best times were the evenings when Legolas was free. Some of the time, Estel and Legolas would simply spend enjoying each other's company. If the weather was suitable, they went for long walks, even though it was now late autumn and light was fading fast. But neither was bothered by walking at night, Estel knew the area surrounding Imladris like the back of his hand, and Legolas' elven eye sight helped them if the stars did not provide sufficient light. Sometimes they walked for long periods of time in companionable silence, sometimes they chatted about the events of the past day, or at other times they talked about more serious matters. 

If it was raining or otherwise uncomfortable outside, they sometimes just went to Estel's room to spend time together alone, or they enjoyed Elrond's and the twins' company.

It soon became a favourite pastime for all of them to play games. The long winter evenings lent themselves to embarking on long games sessions. They played card games, board games, and strategy games. They played in different teams, sometimes even with Elrond if he could be convinced to leave his books for the evening. Not everyone was there all evenings, all of them had differing duties and schedules. It was soon obvious that, when playing strategy games, Elrond and Legolas teamed up, the other three had no chance. Elrond had the advantage of thousands of years of experience, but Legolas had had extensive training in strategy. As a prince, it had always been expected that he would lead warriors and take decisions. After a while, Elladan, Elrohir and Estel refused to let Elrond and Legolas play together. 

Sometimes they all simply kept each other company, each doing something different. The twins had each a favourite armchair on either side of the fire. Elladan often occupied 'his' chair reading a book. Elrohir quite often spent the evenings drawing; he had a talent for catching gestures, emotions and expressions typical for individual people. Surprising in the often impatient younger twin, he could spent hours trying to get an expression or gesture just right.

Estel and Legolas had 'commandeered' a small couch opposite the fire. Legolas would regularly sit at one end, resting a book on the left armrest. Estel would lay with his head in Legolas' lap and his legs dangling over the other armrest of the couch. Quite often. Estel would doze at these times and Legolas would absentmindedly run his fingers through Estel's long hair. Both enjoyed the closeness of these times, and no one objected seeing them together like this. 

(In a quiet moment, Estel had summoned up his courage and asked Elrond whether he found seeing them that close offensive. Elrond had just smiled and told him to enjoy the remaining time with Legolas as much as he could. Elrond trusted his foster son's sense of tact to draw reasonable boundaries. On that occasion, Elrond also told Estel that he had no objections if Legolas shared Estel's room at night, but on the condition that they were discrete about it. Elrond did not want all of Imladris talking about the sleeping arrangements in his house.) 

Elrond had one particular set of shelves where all the games were kept. Normally one of the twins or Estel would get the games out, but one evening Elrohir just said to Legolas:

"Just get something out. You know where everything is." Legolas nodded and started rummaging through the games. This was how he spotted a chess set which he had not seen before. Turning, he said: "I did not know you had a chess set. Who is playing?

Elrohir answered: "Father likes to play and has taught all of us, but the only one of us who was any good at it was Arwen, and she is not here now. Father sometimes plays with Glorfindel, but this is quite rare."

At this moment, Elrond entered the room. He heard Elrohir's last words and looked at Legolas, who held the chess set in his hands.

"Do you play?"

Legolas' eyes lit up. "Yes, I do. I quite like playing chess."

Elrond smiled. He had long wanted a partner to play chess with. All three of sons were comparatively poor players with no real interest in the game. And if Legolas' performance with strategy games was anything to go by, he was probably a fairly good player.

"Would you like to have a try?"

Legolas hesitated and looked at Elrohir. He did not want to be rude, after all chess could only be played by two people.

Elrohir groaned, but then smiled. He knew how much his father enjoyed playing, and even if Legolas was only a mediocre player, he would be better than Elladan, Estel or himself.

"Go on, Ada, Legolas. Enjoy it."

And so Legolas and Elrond set up the set on a low table and started their game, and the twins and Estel played cards. Soon it was obvious that Legolas was a worthy opponent for Elrond's skill. The elf-lord did not hide his surprise. "Legolas, you are good at this – you must have played this often?"

"Yes, I have. Our winters are long and cold, games are a welcome relief from the boredom. Several of my friends are good players, and we had regular contests. I sometimes won and sometimes didn't," said the younger elf with a smile.

Late in the evening, the three card players stopped their own game and began to watch the battle on the chessboard. They were surprised to find that the outcome of the game was still wide open, although several hours had passed. And only very few figures were laying next to the board.

"This will take the whole night to finish." Estel did not sound very pleased.

"Estel, just let them play. Can you not see how much they are enjoying this?" Elladan looked at his father and Legolas. The prince had moved off the chair he had occupied and now sat on the floor, leaning against the chair with his back. He had pulled up his knees to his chest, and was resting his folded arms and chin on top of his knees. He was still able to reach the low table easily. His face was slightly flushed and his eyes sparkled with concentration. Elrond was cupping his face in his hands, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. His dark hair had fallen forward, and he was completely focused on the game. It had been very long time that he had played against someone of equal strength, and he admitted to himself that he was thoroughly enjoying himself, even though he felt slightly guilty about occupying Legolas all evening, and if they continued, probably most of the night. Suddenly he wondered whether Legolas was on duty tomorrow – it would not be fair to play through the night if he had to go out in the morning.

"Legolas? Are you on duty tomorrow?"

"No, I am only on again the day after tomorrow."

"Good, then we can carry on. It will not matter if it gets late."

Legolas just nodded, not wanting to break his concentration. After a few more moves, the twins excuses themselves. Estel laid down on the couch with a book. He tried to hide a yawn. Elrond looked at him and said: "Why don't you go to bed?"

Estel shook his head. "I enjoy being here and watch you play."

Legolas got up and brought a blanket that he spread over Estel. "If you fall asleep you will not be cold." He tucked the blanket around Estel. Estel smiled and pushed him away gently. "Don't fuss and make my father wait. Go on." As Legolas turned, the young man quickly slipped his arm around the elf's hips and pulled him backwards. Legolas lost his balance and fell backwards onto Estel. Holding Legolas with one arm around the waist and with the other around the chest, Estel kissed him none too briefly. Knowing that Elrond was watching them, Legolas went bright red with embarrassment. "Estel! Not in front of your father!" Legolas could not see that Estel was winking at his father, clearly enjoying Legolas' embarrassment. 

Elrond watched the scene with amusement and a slight pang of envy. Even though circumstances were difficult for his foster son and the Mirkwood prince, they were happy together at the moment. And that, Elrond thought, is worth a lot.

Estel released Legolas, and the chess game continued. After a while, Estel feel asleep, the book dropping out of his hands. Elrond got up and removed the volume.

"Legolas, would you mind if we moved the board to the floor? I find sitting hunched up like this very uncomfortable. I would much prefer to lay on the floor."

Legolas looked at the elf-lord in surprise. Elrond did not cease to amaze him. He could not have possibly imagined Elrond, Lord of Imladris, to lay on the carpet with his chin cupped in his hands, completely focused on a game of chess with himself, a still very young prince from Mirkwood. And yet, exactly this was happening, and Elrond did not look in the least uncomfortable. So they lay facing each other, trying to anticipate moves and countermoves. The gaps between moves grew ever longer, as the game progressed and more careful planning became necessary. 

The night wore on. Slowly more and more figures were removed. Legolas was playing white, and somewhat to Elrond's annoyance, it began to look as if Legolas would win this game. He was an exceptional player; Elrond had not played against anyone with such skill in a very long time. It was a challenge that he enjoyed but one which he did not want to loose. He could not possibly loose a game of chess to a young prince only forty years into his majority. This would not do!

Night turned into dawn. The game was nearing its conclusion. Both kings were left on the board, but Legolas still had his queen and a castle, where as Elrond only had one castle left. Both knew that in two further moves, the game would end. Elrond gently tipped over his king. "I yield. You have won."

Legolas' dark eyes sparkled. He could not believe that he had just managed to win against Elrond.

"Legolas, I have rarely encountered someone as skilled as you on the chess board. If you do not mind, I would like to ask you for a return match on another occasion."

"I would be honoured." Suddenly Legolas realised how tired he was. This game of chess had taken a lot of concentration. Estel was still sleeping peacefully. Legolas decided to let him sleep where he was.

"I think I will try to get a few hours sleep. I hope you will not mind if I miss breakfast."

Elrond smiled. "I will do exactly the same."

"Thank you for this game, Legolas. I really enjoyed this."

"So did I. But I am ready for some sleep now. Good night."

Legolas reached his room as the first rays of the sun broke over the ridge of Imladris. The prince did not bother to undress, he just kicked off his boots and collapsed face down on his bed. He was asleep in seconds.

TBC. Please review! 


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's note: Thank you, everyone, for your reviews. Every single one is appreciated!**

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chapter 15 – To Make A Choice 

A few days later. 

Legolas' current patrol duty came to an end. The five warriors only had a few more hours to wait and then their replacement unit would arrive, and they could return to Imladris. The last three days had been cold and wet, but uneventful. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

All of a sudden, Alnirion, one of the dark-haired Imladris archers, called out. "Legolas, there is a rider coming near! He should be here within the hour!" Legolas climbed the tree the other warrior was occupying, and saw the approaching figure as well.

"It is Mithrandir!" The prince recognised the grey beard and pointed hat of the wizard. He had known Gandalf, called by the elves Mithrandir, all his life.

"You know him?"

"Yes, he is one of the Istari and has been around occasionally at my father's court. Unfortunately he often brings bad news. I hope this will not be the case now."

When Gandalf approached their location, Legolas simply stepped out behind a tree. The wizard knew the guards were in the area, even though he had not been able to see them.

"Mithrandir. Welcome in Imladris." Legolas gave a small formal bow, but he smiled with the gesture. He liked the wizard and was glad to see him.

"Legolas Thandruilion! What are you doing here with the Imladris guards?"

The wizard immediately recognised the young elf. This face was distinctive, flawless even for an elf. And yet, something was different about him since they had met last. After a moment, Gandalf realised what the difference was. It was the smile, he could not remember ever having seen Legolas smile in Mirkwood. And yet, here he was, clearly enjoying the arrival of this unexpected guest.

On seeing Legolas' face, the wizard dispensed with all formality. After all he had known Legolas since birth. The Istari dismounted and gathered the elf in a tight embrace. He had expected Legolas to endure this gesture, rather than to enjoy it, but was surprised to find that Legolas' arms closed around his back.  The wizard wondered what had brought Legolas to Rivendell and what had happened to break the defensive walls of reserve and aloofness that the young prince had always displayed before. He was sure he would find out.

Legolas did not immediate respond to the question asked by the wizard, but said:

"Our duty here ends every moment when our replacement patrol arrives. Would you care to wait here with us and then return together to Imladris, or would you like to carry on without us?"

The wizard was in no particular hurry. There were things he needed to discuss with Elrond, but they were not of immediate urgency, and there might be a chance for talking some more with Legolas on the way.

The warriors returned to watching the area whilst the wizard settled down at the base of a tree with a pipe. After a couple of hours, the replacement unit arrived, and Legolas and his fellow warriors made their way back to Imladris. Gandalf rode slowly with them.

He repeated the question he had asked Legolas, and the Mirkwood elf explained that he had had travelled with the twins, Estel and the rangers, only to find that the passes had closed on their return."

Gandalf looked at the archer. "You have changed, Legolas. I hardly recognise you."

"Have I really changed so much?" The elf looked slightly incredulous. "I suppose living here has changed many things for me. But in the spring I will have to return to Mirkwood. I have missed my father, but I do not miss living in Mirkwood. Well, that is not really true. I love our realm and our people, but …" The young archer paused, slightly at a loss of words. "Here I can lead a normal life as a warrior, without constantly being reminded that I am a prince. But my father wishes me to return home in the spring." 

Momentarily unguarded, Legolas' face betrayed the turmoil of his emotions concerning the future. It was only a fleeting moment, but the wizard saw the expression. *There is something more to this than you are telling me, young one*, he thought. *And I will find out what it is. *

For a while, Gandalf told Legolas about some of his travels. Legolas asked whether the wizard had been near his home, but Gandalf had not been. So there was no news from Legolas' father.

The light began to fade, and afternoon turned into evening. It was after dark that the five elves and the wizard arrived in Imladris.

Elrond welcomed the wizard warmly. Whilst the elf-lord was greeting him, the wizard discreetly watched Legolas. He had made sure that the horse was cared for and had then been met by a dark-haired young elf, who enclosed Legolas in a tight embrace. 

The wizard unashamedly watched the two young people. For a moment the wizard thought they would kiss. There was so much affection in their faces that the wizard had no doubt that these two were lovers. Gandalf was surprised, Legolas was very young to have a partner, and the other one looked younger still. At second glance, Gandalf thought there was something odd about the other young elf, and then he knew: This was not a young elf but a young human. And with that thought, he recognised the young man. It could only be Aragorn, called Estel, Elrond's foster son.

Gandalf had been to Imladris since Elrond had adopted Estel, but on several occasions he had missed the young human. He only had seen Aragorn twice. The first time he had met Estel, the boy had been about five human years old, a shy, serious child with an unruly mop of dark curls who refused to speak Westron. At the time Elrond had commented on this, the elf-lord told the wizard that the child refused to speak or to learn the human language because he did not want to be "different." Gandalf's response had been that he thought the boy would grow out of this. The wizard briefly wondered whether he had been correct.

The second time the wizard had met the boy, the child was a few years older and had grown into an agile boy moving with near-elven grace, who had not yet reached the awkwardness of human adolescence. Estel had asked endless questions about wizards and magic, until Elrond firmly told him to leave the wizard alone. Gandalf smiled at the memory.

After greeting Legolas, Estel turned to the wizard. Slightly hesitantly he said: "I do not know if you remember me … I am Estel…"

Gandalf warmly smiled at the young man. "Of course I remember you. How could I not remember all these questions that you asked me as a little boy?"

Estel blushed, he did not like to be reminded of his childish impoliteness.

Gandalf looked at Estel for a moment. He saw that the child had grown into a handsome young man with regular features and sparkling grey eyes. He wore his long dark hair in a single braid that fell down the middle of his back. 

Elrond said to Legolas: "Legolas, get yourself washed and changed for the evening meal, we see you in the Great Hall."

Legolas grinned. "Is this a hint? Do I need a wash so badly?" Elrond smiled. "Get on with it – just have a look at yourself!" Legolas looked down at himself. His clothing was rather muddy after three days in the forest, and his hair, face and hands were none too clean, either. With a rueful smile, he answered: " Maybe I do…"

Gandalf was amazed at this exchange. From everything he knew, relationships between Elrond and Thrandruil were frosty, but if this friendly banter was something to go by, this did not extend to Thandruil's son.

Legolas turned to go upstairs, Estel followed. Gandalf looked at Elrond. "How long?" He looked at the elf and human disappearing up the stairs. "Several years."

Gandalf sighed. This was evidently something that needed to be discussed with Elrond later. "Legolas has changed."

Elrond nodded. "Yes, he has. He has lived here now for the better part of a year. He has been here many times before with Estel but to my shame I have to say that until this summer no one here, including myself, made the effort to get to know him. I only saw him as Thandruil's son, a most undesirable partner for Estel. Legolas fell ill with some food poisoning this summer and during this time he let his guard down, or was forced to do so by feeling poorly. It made me realise how young he still is, and that I had never given him a chance. Since then, Legolas has almost become a part of our family, and has opened up to an extent that I have never thought possible."

"I wonder what Thandruil would say if he saw his son here."

Elrond looked at the wizard. "I am not certain I really want to know. Estel and Legolas should have some carefree time together, they will be separated after the winter ends. Estel will leave to live with the rangers, and Legolas will return to Mirkwood. Estel must learn more about humans, this has become very evident this summer when they travelled with the rangers."

"Well, that explains why Legolas was so guarded talking about the future."

"Gandalf, I'll take you to your room and leave you in peace until the evening meal. Will you stay until the Midwinter Celebration?"

"I have no plans to go elsewhere. I would enjoy remaining here. It is peaceful in Imladris. Elrond, there is much we have to talk about, but not tonight."

Elrond nodded. He had expected that much. The wizard usually brought news, unfortunately not often good ones.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the meantime, Legolas had gone to his room and had asked for his bath to be filled. He quickly undressed and stepped into the warm, scented water. With a sigh of relief, he sank into the tub, immersing himself as completely as possible. Travelling three days through wet, wintry forests was not the most comfortable of duties. He closed his eyes and relaxed. After what appeared a very short time, he became aware of soft footsteps. Without looking, he knew who this was. He just felt too relaxed to open his eyes. He heard a few small noises, and then felt a soft kiss on his mouth. Estel was kneeling besides the tub and said gently:

"Sit up so that I can wash your hair."

With a groan, Legolas opened his eyes and sat up enough for Estel to reach his hair. The young man had already got some herb tincture in his hands, which he now rubbed gently into the elf's long blonde hair.

"I like doing this."

"I know you do. I like when you do it." Legolas leaned back again and closed his eyes, enjoying the movements of Estel's hands.

After a while, Estel said with a smile: "Your hair must now be the cleanest hair ever. Let me wash the soap out. Duck under." Legolas did as he was told. When he came up again, Estel held out a big towel.

"Come out. It is almost time for the evening meal."  

"How about you getting in?" Legolas grinned and gently pulled at Estel's long braid.

"I would love to, but not tonight."

Sighing, Legolas climbed out of the now merely lukewarm water. Estel embraced him with the towel and began to rub him dry. He could not resist letting his hands wander somewhat.

Legolas gave him a playful slap. "Don't do that, or we will be definitely late for dinner."

And with these words, the elf took the towel and finished drying himself quickly. After dressing in fresh clothes, he brushed his damp hair and left it unbound to dry.

"Let's go."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When they arrived at the Great Hall, Elrond, the twins and Gandalf were already sitting at the table. Legolas and Estel quietly slipped into their seats, just in time for the meal to begin.

Whilst they ate, everyone talked about the events of the day and general friendly chit-chat ensued. This gave Gandalf time to watch Legolas and Estel more closely. It amazed Gandalf how different Legolas seemed when he did not feel the need to appear to the world in his role of a prince. The prince was still slightly flushed from his warm bath, his eyes sparkled and his light hair fell freely over his shoulders. The young elf looked happier and more relaxed than Gandalf had ever seen him, or had ever expected to see him. He was engaged in an animated conversation with the twins and two other elves, whose names Gandalf did not know.

Estel at his side did not have the startling beauty of the young elf, but in his own way he was very attractive. With his dark hair, fair skin and grey eyes, he resembled the Noldor elves whose kin he was, and yet his humanity gave him a different, more robust and less ethereal kind of beauty. The wizard wondered whether the young man had any idea how many stares he and Legolas attracted, and by no means all of these were for the elf. 

Elrond noticed the wizard watching Estel and Legolas. He realised that Gandalf had seen Estel last as a child – it did not seem to be that long ago – and that the wizard had probably never seen Legolas outside his home environment. And Elrond suspected that the time away from Mirkwood had changed Legolas greatly, or perhaps better to say that it had allowed him to become much more the person he really was. The elf-lord had no doubt that Legolas would find readjusting to living at home difficult.

The meal came to an end and everyone moved to the Hall of Fire for some dancing and music. The rest of the evening gave Gandalf ample opportunity to watch Estel and Legolas together, and to see how they interacted with others.

Gandalf and Elrond spent much of the evening talking, exchanging news.  At a pause in their conversation, Gandalf nodded at Estel and Legolas, who were standing with a group of other elves talking. "Have they bonded?"

"No, Thandruil will not have it, he fears for Legolas. And of course Estel's future is yet undetermined."

The wizard looked somewhat concerned. "I can feel the bond between them. They may not have formalised it, but the bond is there, acknowledged or not. This relationship cannot be broken without great grief. It should not have been allowed to come to this."

"I know. I tried to talk to Estel over many years, to no avail. He is formally an adult, and so is Legolas. There was not much that could be done to prevent this. I have thought about this much, and I now feel that I have no right to deny another's happiness. My foresight is limited, I do not know what the future holds. For now, I am content to see these two being happy together."

Gandalf nodded. He had spoken with Galadriel in Lothlorien and knew what she foresaw for Aragorn's future. This relationship was a complication.

Elrond changed the topic. "Gandalf, have you seen Arwen recently? She writes occasionally but I have to admit I miss her greatly and would like her to return to Imladris."

"I have seen her. She is well, and enjoys living in Lothlorien. I do not believe she would return to live here but perhaps she would come for a visit. I think she misses you and the twins more than she realises. If you asked her, I am sure she would come to visit."

Elrond's face saddened. He turned slightly away from Gandalf. "I do not know whether she would come. We did not part on good terms."

"I know. She is much like you, that's why you clash. Do you mind telling me why she left?"

Elrond hesitated. This was very personal, private. On the other hand, Mithrandir was an old friend. "After Celebrian left to the Undying Lands, I was alone for many years. When Gilraen came here with her baby, I came to care for her. I doubt that she ever knew, her heart had been given and she never recovered from her grief. But Arwen noticed, and felt I had betrayed her mother. She accused me of being disloyal, and left. I cannot tell from her letters whether she has forgiven me."

Gandalf put his hand lightly on the elf-lord's shoulder. "Elrond, children have to learn that parents have needs, too. Celebrian left, and you never truly loved her. You were companions, nothing more. Your bond was primarily a political alliance, not a love match, and when she left you had more than fulfilled your duty to her, and she to you. I have never felt the type of bond between you and Celebrian that I can feel between Estel and Legolas. It is an almost tangible emotional connection. You never had this with Celebrian. You raised your children together and spent many years as companions. But when she left, this commitment ended, both on her part and on yours."

"There is nothing for Arwen to forgive, Elrond, you have done nothing that needs forgiving. It is tragic that Gilraen did not realise what you could have offered her. She was still young for one of Numenorean blood and could have spent many happy years with you. Arwen has matured somewhat herself, and the distance should have helped to allow her to see you as a person with your own needs, rather than her parent only. If you asked her for a visit, she may well come."

Elrond nodded. Speaking to Gandalf, he realise how much he missed his daughter. He would write to her and ask her to come and visit, perhaps during the coming summer. With that thought, he looked around and realised that the evening was drawing to a close, with people drifting away. The twins, Estel and Legolas had already disappeared, so Elrond and Gandalf also bade their farewells for the night.

TBC. **Please review.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's note: As usual, thank you all for your reviews. A particular thanks to Grumpy for his comment – you are quite right!**

**I have also posted a second story, _Inauspicious Beginnings _(story id: 1832755) that can be read as a sequel to this story or as a stand-alone story. So if you have not yet found it, please check it out and tell me what you think of it. I am currently wondering whether I should embark on a series of linked stories or just turn this one here into a very long one. Comments welcome!**

And now to the story… 

**~ ~ ~ ~ ~**

**Chapter 16 – To Make A Choice**

It was snowing hard in Imladris. Midwinter was only a few days away, and everyone was getting ready for the celebrations. Midwinter celebrations were an important event. In all elven realms, midwinter was perceived as the turning point of the year, when the focus shifted from one year to the next. Therefore, the focus was on looking into the future, and creating new opportunities in the coming year. 

Elladan and Legolas were sitting in the branches of a tree in Elrond's garden. Both wore warm cloaks with the hoods up. It was an ancient oak tree whose gnarled branches provided some shelter even without their leaves, and both young elves were off duty on that day. Estel and Elrohir were away on a patrol, recently Glorfindel had made the point to Elrond that it would be useful for Estel to go on patrols regularly rather then on odd occasions – after all, a ranger's life was nothing but an extended patrol duty. So the young human had been assigned to a guard unit, together with Elrohir, and they were not expected back from their current duty in less than another two days.

Legolas and Elladan had chosen a thick branch to sit on. Elladan was leaning against the trunk of the tree with his knees pulled up against his chest, whereas Legolas sat facing him, one leg pulled up on the branch, the other dangling freely. To a human his position might have appeared precarious, as an elf he was completely comfortable to perch on the branch in this position.

Legolas had never been in Rivendell over the winter, and had therefore never experienced the Midwinter celebrations. At home, the celebrations were formal, with speeches, promises and agreements between different parties for the future, combined with the best food that the cooks could produce at this time of the year. Much wine would flow to help the negotiations along. It was also the time of the year when betrothals were declared and weddings for the next summer would be announced. The formal activities would last well into the night, and would be followed by dancing and music. This would lead into an early morning meal followed by competitions. 

Legolas had always wondered where this tradition had come from, it did not appear to make sense to test your skills after a night without sleep and too much to eat and drink. It very often meant that warriors were not in best shape, and on many occasions comparatively less skilled or less experienced contestants had won, most likely due to the fact that the older or more experienced warriors were in less than ideal shape that day. 

Since reaching his majority, the prince had been expected to take his place at his father's side and to take part in the formal activities, and to participate in the dancing afterwards. Legolas deeply disliked these occasions, for him they always meant to dance with a seemingly never-ending stream of elf-maidens all interested in catching his attention. 

Very few people in Mirkwood knew about his relationship with Estel, he had not told many and his father had kept it quiet as well, always hoping that Legolas would change his mind. Altogether, Midwinter celebrations were not something that Legolas normally enjoyed.

"Elladan, how do you celebrate Midwinter here? I have never been here for the winter."

"It is all quite formal." Legolas heart sank at this comment. Elladan continued. "As far as the weather allows, men from the surrounding human towns will come, some rangers might come from the west and any other travellers would be welcomed. Because of our location here west of the Misty Mountains, it is very rare for elves from either Mirkwood or Lothlorien to visit us here for Midwinter. Your being here is quite a novelty." The twin grinned. 

Legolas' heart sank even further. He disliked being the centre of attention, but as a prince, he had to endure being in this position far more often than he liked.

"Any agreements and trade negotiations would be agreed before the celebrations in the evening. Then there is a very large meal with a lot of wine, and all new agreements for the next year and betrothals and weddings are announced. Everyone wears their best clothes and is supposed to be on best behaviour. My father uses this meal as an opportunity to seat together people who have common interest or who for some other reason would benefit from talking to each other. So you never really know next to whom you will sit for the meal. Most of the times this works really well, but on some occasions this arrangement has had some interesting results!"

"I quite like this meal, the cooks are always trying to excel and it is rarely boring. Because all the formal stuff is done before the celebrations begin, people start to relax and quite often relax a bit too much. A drunken dwarf or hobbit can make for interesting entertainment!" 

This sounded quite different to his previous experiences of Midwinter celebrations. But then Elrond was not a king and did not have a court, perhaps it was for this reasons that the celebration were more relaxed. But Legolas suspected that for the most part the different personality of his father and Elrond were responsible for the variations.

"After that, there will be more wine, dancing and music, until the morning. It tends to get quite merry. Sometimes we all have an early meal together, or go for a hunt, or sometimes there would be competitions. But these are not planned in advance, it depends on what most people feel like doing, so it varies from year to year."

But the best thing about the Midwinter celebrations is that after the formal part, for two days everyone can do what they like, there is always food available and people come and go for meals as they please. The visitors may follow up any talks they had over the formal meal, everyone else is freed of their duties and commitments. These two days are time to spend with family and friends, free of responsibilities. Even my father will not deal with any business on these days, he will postpone everything that might come up to afterwards."

"Our traditions are quite different." Legolas went on to describe how Midwinter was celebrated in Mirkwood. He ended by saying: "At least, here I do not have the responsibilities of a prince. That might make a difference." 

Elladan laughed at the exasperation in Legolas' voice. "I would not bet on it. I cannot see my father letting the opportunity pass to present you formally, as I said it is very rare for other elves to be here. And you being a prince…" 

Legolas sighed. There was just no getting away from it.

"What will you wear? You have asked for that robe, but what will you wear underneath?" Legolas looked at Elladan. He had not given this any thought at all. At home, his formal attire was presented to him and he put it on when required, he never had to choose an outfit before. "I have not yet thought about it."

"You should. There is not much time left if you need something new to be made."

"I will probably some kind of tunic or formal shirt and some leggings. When I go to collect my robe, I can ask for something. I do not really mind, it will be underneath anyway and no one will see it."

This response was so typical for Legolas that Elladan laughed out loud." Come, let us go and find you some formal clothing." Both jumped gracefully down from their perch and made their way back to the seamstresses. Legolas also asked Elladan to help him with another errand.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Midwinter. Imladris was brimming with guests. Several delegations from human settlements had arrived and a few rangers had come as well, although this time, Tharamir and Halbarad were not amongst them. The last few days had been very busy for Elrond, negotiating new deals, settling disputes and discussing agreements. Legolas had attended some of these sessions but not all. Elrohir and Estel had returned from their latest patrol safely.

The beginning of the feast was not long away, and Estel was still trying to get himself ready. He had chosen to wear a silvery grey tunic with dark leggings and a deep maroon ceremonial robe, long and flowing with wide arms. His long dark hair, although naturally curly, was heavy enough to hang in waves to almost waist length. It was only held back by two small side braids that were combined into one plait in the back. Estel was just tying off the end, when there was a knock at the door. This was Elrohir, already dressed in very similar clothes to his brother, only that his robe was dark blue. He, too, had chosen a grey tunic and dark leggings. 

"Are you ready, little brother?"  

"Almost." 

"You look stunning."

"Me? Hardly." Estel's grin was slightly lopsided. He was, as always, acutely aware of his position as a human amongst elves.

"So, how many maiden do you plan to seduce tonight, Elrohir?"

The younger twin laughed. "I don't know now. I will try my best to live up to my reputation!" 

Both laughed and made their way together to the Great Hall for the feast. When they arrived, they were shown to their places. It turned out that they sat together with Elladan, and two unknown humans. 

Estel looked at the table. "Is Legolas not sitting with us?" he asked Elladan who was sitting opposite him.

"Estel, use your brain… He will have to sit at the head table, at least for the meal. Afterwards he can come and sit with us, but not for the meal."

Estel groaned inwardly. It looked as if Legolas being a prince would very much dampen the enjoyment of the evening.

Glorfindel had the task of formally announcing the arrival of the people sitting at the head table, and to introduce all of them to the guests. So the first to be announced was Elrond, as the host and Lord of Imladris. The second person to be introduced was Gandalf, his presence formidable in itself. Then, Legolas.

"Prince Legolas Thandruilion from the Woodland Realm." 

Estel stared. He had seen Legolas very rarely in his official role or indeed in formal clothes. He knew how much the elf disliked such occasions.  But for tonight, Legolas had dressed in a midnight blue robe with deep green embroidery, with a lighter blue tunic and dark leggings underneath. Unusually, his hair was unbraided and framed his face, only one strand on each side was pulled to the back, held together by a small gold catch that Estel had not seen before. He also wore a silver circlet that Estel had never seen before – he wondered where this had come from since Legolas had not brought it with him. He looked every inch the prince he was. Estel heard the man next to him gasp at Legolas' entrance. 

Legolas eyes searched for, and quickly found, Estel and he allowed himself a small, almost imperceptible smile. Estel was there, looking his very best. The young man returned the smile with a small nod of his head. Only Elrond and Gandalf noticed the exchange.

After everyone had been introduced, the meal began, interspersed with speeches and announcements. The two men at their table turned out to be from a small town further west, they had wanted to negotiating some hunting rights with Elrond. To everyone's delight at their table, the older one of the two was an excellent storyteller and entertained the twins, Estel and his companion with a seemingly endless stream of smaller and larger adventures, probably much embellished.

Legolas' meal was much less enjoyable. He was sitting between Elrond and Gandalf, and there was also Glorfindel, and three humans from different delegations. Although both Elrond and Gandalf made an effort to keep the conversation flowing much of it was stilted and formal. Legolas was looking forward to the end of the meal. The last course arrived, much to his delight it was winterberry tart that was a rare treat in Mirkwood.

Elrond saw the expression of delight on Legolas' face. "You can have mine as well, Legolas. I have had more than sufficient already." The man sitting opposite Legolas, a tall broad man from a small town further west, frowned at that remark. In his opinion, princes had to be treated with utmost respect and formality, and every word he had directed at Legolas, had reflected this attitude.

"I am not certain I can manage two of these." Legolas smiled at Elrond, relieved at the informality with which he had been addressed. He had half expected and feared that he would be addressed as 'Prince Legolas' all evening. Elrond was once again struck by the beauty of the young elf sitting next to him. Seeing him on a daily basis, and in all sorts of conditions, had made Elrond less aware of it. Legolas saw Elrond looking at him and smiled again. 

Gandalf saw the expression and was yet gain amazed how much Legolas had changed. His cold, marble-like beauty had given way to show glimpses of a sparkling personality and a vicious sense of humour.

The meal was coming to an end, and Elrond gave permission to move to the Hall of Fire for music and dancing. This also announced the end of the formal part of the evening. Giving his thanks, Legolas made his way over to Estel and the twins, who were still sitting at their table. Here, everyone was still engaged in lively conversation.

"Legolas, come and join us! I have kept my winterberry tart for you because I know how much you like them." Legolas grabbed an unoccupied chair and sat next to Estel.

"Oh Estel, I have already had two, your father gave me his when he saw how much I enjoyed them."

"Have a third one then. You could do with putting on a bit of weight." At that comment, the twins and Estel laughed. Legolas blushed deeply, and their human table companions looked confused. They were quite surprised how informal everyone treated the prince, after all, he was a _prince_! 

Legolas looked at the yet uneaten tart in front of him and sighed. "I'll make myself ill, but I cannot resist."

"Go on, then." Elrohir laughed. Legolas ate his third desert with as much enjoyment as the first. 

Once he had finished, they all decided to go over to the Hall of Fire. At first, there was music, and then much dancing and laughter. Much to some of the men's consternation, everyone was dancing with everyone, Estel and Legolas spending much time dancing together. As dawn neared, both Estel and Legolas were hot, thirsty and out of breath.

After a while, Legolas pulled Estel pulled outside into the garden. They sat down side by side on a bench, enjoying the cold night air and the starlight on the freshly fallen snow.

Legolas turned so that he could see Estel's face. "Estel, I have something for you…" he rummaged around in the folds of his robe.

Estel sat upright from his slouching position. Legolas held a ring in his hand. It was a silver setting crafted beautifully as leaves, and a dark stone in the middle. Estel stared at the ring. The ring was a replica of the ring he had given to Legolas, only in different colours.

"Legolas…" Their eyes locked.

"Estel, this is a promise. I know that we may never be able to bond formally, but between us I want to promise you that I will be true to you until the end of my days. I want you to have this so that you always remember how much I love you." Legolas' dark eyes looked steadily into Estel's grey ones; there was no hesitation or uncertainty about making this promise. Then he slipped the ring on Estel's right index finger.

"Will you accept it?"

Estel was too stunned to react immediately. This was totally unexpected, and yet, in a way it was not. He gently put his hand into Legolas tunic and retrieved the thin golden chain that held his own gift to Legolas. Legolas had taken to wear his ring near his heart rather then on his hand because he found anything on his hands interfered with his archery. Estel undid the clasp in the neck and took the ring of the chain.

"I cannot accept your promise as you made it, Legolas. "Estel smiled at the shock and hurt in Legolas eyes. "But I would like to accept an amended version. You can promise to me to be true to me until the end of my days. I do not wish you to be alone when I am gone, you will still be young and may well find new love when I am gone. I do not wish to deprive you of the chance of future happiness. My mortal life is too short for that."

"But also…" Estel took the ring he had given to Legolas, "I will promise you the same." He slipped the ring on Legolas' finger. "It was a gift of love and affection, it is now a promise."

Legolas looked at his hands and took both of Estel's. Their eyes locked. "I promise to be true to you until the end of your life." 

"I will also be true to you until the end of my days." They were still looking at each other, holding hands. The moment held, until Estel leaned forward and embraced Legolas. They held each other tight, aware of the bittersweetness of the moment. They both yearned for a formal bonding, and both knew that given their circumstances, such an event was not likely.

After a while, they returned to the dancing, not wishing to be missed by the others. No one but Gandalf noticed the rings on their hands. Even though he could not guess the details, he had a pretty good idea what had just happened. He sighed. Things were getting complicated. These two were not supposed to be so close, Galadriel had foreseen other roads for both of them. And yet, sometimes foresight failed, or showed only what _might _come to pass.

TBC. Please review


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's note: Thank you, everyone, for your reviews. I do not think I have had another chapter that had so many longer reviews. It was really encouraging! Thanks also to those who reviewed _Inauspicious Beginnings_, it was lovely to get all this feedback.**

**~ ~ ~ ~ ~ **

**Chapter 17 – To Make A Choice**

Midwinter had come and gone. Life in Imladris settled done into its pre-Midwinter routine, the only difference being that Estel now regularly went on patrols. But Glorfindel saw to it that he never went together with Legolas, a decision that both of them understood and resented at the same time. Otherwise, the young human and the elven prince spent as much time together as possible, knowing that their time together was coming to an end.

Slowly, winter turned into spring. The first signs of spring appeared – the snow began to melt and snowdrops appeared between the patches of melting whiteness. One day, the eastern boarder guards reported two riders, warriors from Mirkwood. Thandruil had sent two of his guards to bring Legolas home.

Elrond welcomed the warriors. He was uncertain whether the two were protection for Legolas, or an escort to ensure that a potentially unwilling prince would return home. Or perhaps both. Legolas was out with a patrol on the western side of the border, and Estel was off duty, but out hunting with the twins. Neither was expected back for a couple of days, so Elrond assigned rooms to the Mirkwood warriors and offered them hospitality. 

It also gave him an opportunity to observe the two, Rivendell and Mirkwood had had very few dealings in the last three thousand years. Both warriors were fair, with olive skin, dark eyes and hair, with the lithe and graceful bodies of the wood elves. Both were also clearly feeling uneasy in Rivendell. Elrond wondered what they had been told about his realm. 

Rinirion was the more outgoing of the two. He did not hesitate to ask Elrond many questions about how their prince had lived for the last year. Elrond answered to the best of the ability, not hiding the fact that Legolas had spent much time with Estel. He had no doubt that Thandruil had chosen warriors he trusted and who knew about his son's relationship with the young human. It was very obvious to Elrond that the two Mirkwood elves disapproved, although they were sufficiently polite not to say anything to this effect in his hearing. After all, Estel was Elrond's foster son.

Two days later, Legolas returned from his patrol duty. He and his warriors were tired, travel stained and hungry, their duty had taken them to one of the more outlying parts of Elrond's realm and the return journey alone had taken three days. Before that, they had encountered a band of orcs, which they destroyed. But that had not come without cost, everyone in the party had minor wounds, including Legolas. The young prince had sustained a slash in his left arm, which, although minor, had left him unable to move that arm effectively. He was looking forward to having this wound seen to by Elrond, since he knew the elf-lord's healing skills would see to it that the wound would heal in very little time.

Elrond got the distinct impression that Legolas was not keen on seeing the two warriors. He hid this sentiment well, but Elrond knew Legolas well enough now to be able to read the resentment and dislike under the cool demeanour of the prince. The elf-lord wondered whether this resentment was caused by the fact that Thandruil had sent these particular two or the fact that the king had sent an escort at all. Rinirion was horrified to see that his prince got injured defending another realm. He insisted on an almost immediate departure. Legolas refused, he openly declared that he would not leave Imladris before he was able to give his farewells to Estel. Grudgingly, the two Mirkwood warriors gave in, on the condition that they would leave as soon as practicable after Estel's return. 

The evening meal that day was a strained affair, and the two Mirkwood warriors gave their excuses early. This gave Gandalf an opportunity to talk to freely the prince, who was sharing a table with himself and Elrond.

The wizard pulled his pipe out of his robe, putting it into his mouth but not lightening it.

"Legolas, you and Estel will be separated for a long time. How will you cope with this?"

Legolas hesitated. This was a very personal question. "We have talked about it. We have decided to write as much as we can, even if we will only receive each other's messages a few times a year. Otherwise, what can we do? We promised each other to be true to each other until Estel's death." This statement dew gasps from both Gandalf and Elrond.

Gandalf frowned. "You should not have done this. You do not know what the future holds and to commit yourself to this level at your age is folly. And Estel has not even reached his thirtieth birthday and is barely considered an adult amongst his own people."

Legolas looked down on his hands. His respect for Gandalf made him hesitate, but then he looked up. There was defiance in his dark blue eyes. He said openly: "We have loved each other for nearly a decade, and except for the last year, we have found little support." 

Legolas briefly smiled at Elrond. "We may both be young, but I do not believe that our relationship will falter when we are apart. It will be difficult, but then, most of the last ten years have not been easy." There was no reproach in his voice, just a statement of facts, and yet, Elrond flinched. How much easier it would have been for his son and Legolas if he had been more open and accepting! He gently laid a hand on the younger elf's shoulder.

" It would be better if you separated now and set each other free." Gandalf sucked at his unlit pipe.

Legolas stared at the wizard in dismay. How could Gandalf, whom he had known and respected all his life, make such a suggestion? Had he not seen how much they cared for each other? Legolas was devastated. He had expected support from Gandalf, not rejection.

Elrond, too, was horrified. He knew that Gandalf was concerned about the future roles of the elven prince and Aragorn, Arathorn's son. And yet, this suggestion was harsh, very much out of character for the normally kind and wise wizard. The Istari must have seen much more of the future with Galadriel than he had told Elrond to make such a suggestion, knowing how much Legolas and Estel cared for each other. The elf-lord knew that Gandalf was aware of this, he had commented on it often enough.

The silence stretched, the hurt in Legolas face palpable. Elrond felt like getting up and embracing the younger elf for support, but instead simply tightened grip on the prince's shoulder, hoping to convey some measure of sympathy. All of a sudden, Legolas pushed his chair back ands got up. "Please accept my excuses. I do not wish to pursue this conversation any longer." His face had set into the stony, aloof expression that both Elrond and Gandalf knew so well from the past. Without waiting for an answer, the young elf left the table.

Elrond was utterly shocked. "Gandalf, why did you say this to Legolas? You knew how much hurt this would cause." 

The Istari looked at the elf-lord levelly. "I have seen in Galadriel's mirror that Aragorn will marry, and have children." He did not say that he had also seen whom the young man would marry. "Legolas, too, will get married. If Estel and Legolas remain as close as they are now, none of this will come to pass, to the detriment of all."

Elrond answered: "You do not know this. The mirror shows you what they future might bring, not what it will hold. Even the Istari do not have the right to interfere in the lives of the first- and second-born like this."

Gandalf sucked at his pipe. He looked very pensive. "Neither can provide the other with heirs. If Estel takes up his heritage, he must of heirs of his bloodline. Thandruil's line ends with Legolas, should something happen to him, there is no other to continue it. The needs of the many must outweigh the needs of the few. The future of two peoples is tied to these two, they cannot be allowed to jeopardise the future like this. I feel sorry for them, their connection is deep, but they must stop this before their bond is too deep to be severed."

Elrond looked at the wizard. "Do you not see that this point has already been passed? Undoubtedly both of them would like to bond formally, they have forsaken that but have promised each other to be true. Neither of them is likely to take this lightly, I cannot see either of them breaking this oath, neither has a personality that would allow him to be untrue to the other."

"They are both still very young."

Elrond sighed. He was surprised to find himself in the position of defending Estel and Legolas, even a year ago he would have agreed with Gandalf. But the wizard had not spent almost a year seeing the elf and the human together.

"Gandalf, I respect you deeply. You are my elder by many years, but in this, we do not agree. I have seen these two withstanding the pressure from my family and from Thandruil for years, and not once either of them wavered. Their bond is deep and true, no one has a right to deny them at least a chance of happiness. Let the future take care of itself. Galadriel's mirror is a dangerous tool, it is seductive in its power but it does not always predict everything the way it will come to pass."

The wizard looked at the elf-lord. Even though the elf was many hundreds of years his junior, the Istari respected his opinions. Elrond was wise, his advice was rarely unwarranted. And deep in his heart, the wizard very much wanted to follow the elf-lord's advice, for he saw and felt the emotional bond between the young human and the prince from Mirkwood. Such a connection was rare, to destroy it purposefully felt utterly wrong. And yet… The wizard sighed.

"So be it then."

"Will you support them? They may well need your support in the future."

Gandalf sighed again. Then he made up his mind. "Yes, I will support them."

"Then I will go and talk to Legolas."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

In the meantime, Legolas had escaped to his favourite tree in Imladris. It was an ancient beech tree overlooking the river and the waterfalls. Inwardly, he felt completely numb. He had known Gandalf all his life, to have his love for Estel rejected by the wizard was a betrayal. He wondered whether their love was really so wrong. He had heard all the arguments and yet being together with Estel felt right. Sitting high up in the branches of the tree, Legolas pondered his situation. He could not, and would not, give up on Estel. Even if it meant giving up his own heritage, although he hoped it would not come to this.

The prince leaned back against the tree trunk, staring out over the water but seeing nothing. He felt emotionally drained and wished that Estel would return. It was a sign of his distraction that he only became aware of Elrond when the elf-lord was already up in the tree. Legolas looked at the older elf in surprise. Elrond did not cease to surprise him, he would not have expected to see the Lord of Imladris to climb a tree. 

Elrond saw the surprise in the younger elf's face, and said with a smile: "I am an elf, too, Legolas. I am not like the lords of men who forget who they are and where they came from. I am perfectly capable of climbing a tree, even though I admit that it is a long time since I have done it. We need to talk." Settling himself on a branch near Legolas, he continued to repeat the conversation he had with Gandalf.

The prince listened in silence. In a sense, Elrond's words were a relief, as they restored some of his trust in Gandalf. But not all. And Legolas realised that his view of the wizard had very much been that of a child looking up to his parent, the parent being perfect and faultless. And at some point, a child has to learn that parents are not, and in the same way, Legolas realised, he had to accept that the Istari was able to make mistakes or misjudgements.

Elrond had stopped talking and looked at Legolas. The younger elf still looked sad and withdrawn, his usual sparkle hidden.

"Legolas?"

The prince sighed. "I wish Estel was here."

"He will be back soon." Elrond gently touched Legolas' face to focus his attention. "Estel loves you deeply. Do not fear the future, if you and Estel are true to each other, the Valar will honour this."

"Do you think so?" Legolas turned to face the elder elf. All of a sudden, the words came rushing out. "I have begun to wonder if we should not be together after all … may be it is all wrong, but it feels right. I care for Estel more than I ever thought possible to care for someone. I cannot imagine living without him. I do not know what I will do when he dies, I do not know how we will cope with being separated for a long time. A few months are one thing, but years …" All the anxiety, insecurities and worry that Legolas felt came rushing out.

Elrond moved over to the same branch that Legolas sat on, and with some difficulty, he embraced the younger elf. Their situation struck him as incongruous, to sit on a branch in a tree trying to comfort another was unusual, to say the least. But the other was a wood elf, and therefore the tree did not seem such an inappropriate place after all. Legolas' head came to rest on the elf-lord's shoulder, and he felt the fast heartbeat of the younger elf against his own chest.

*Oh, Estel,* Elrond thought, *hurry back because you are needed here. I cannot give Legolas what he needs right now.* 

Elrond also admitted to himself that for the first time in his life, he was truly angry with Gandalf. Estel and Legolas had experienced so much resentment already, they did not need any more of it, and especially not from one both of them should consider a good friend. One thing that Elrond had learned during this year was that Legolas Thandruilion was a very complex person. On the one hand he was a capable warrior and leader, but on the other hand lacking confidence in himself to an extent that Elrond found surprising in someone high born. 

Legolas covered these insecurities with coldness and a withdrawal into his role as a prince. Somehow Estel had broken through these defences and had found a sensitive, caring young elf with a lively sense of humour. During the time in Imladris, Legolas had felt increasingly confident to show others more of his true personality. But when threatened, Legolas would still withdraw, and Gandalf's rejection of his love for Estel must have felt like an utter rejection. Elrond did not want Legolas to retreat into his shell again, and just hoped that Legolas felt appreciated enough in Imladris not do so. Yes, Estel was very much needed now. Elrond could feel the younger elf's insecurity and anguish, his doubts and worries. 

*Estel, hurry home, you are needed here.*

TBC.  **Please review!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's note: Again, many thanks for your reviews. Well, for this chapter I should probably give a serious tissue warning****.**

**~ ~ ~ ~ ~ **

**Chapter 18 – To Make A Choice**

Estel was blissfully unaware of what was happening in Imladris. He and the twins had had a successful hunt and were now slowly returning to Rivendell, taking their time. They did not hurry, there was no need for it and all three knew that in the next few years opportunities for trips together would be very limited. So they enjoyed the time together, laughing and joking on the way, teasing each other. Early in the evening, they stopped and lit a small fire. They cooked some of their meat and settled down for the night, splitting the watch between them. Even though they were near Imladris now, they did not want to be surprised by anyone or anything and set a watch.

Elladan drew the first watch, leaving Estel and Elrohir to rest. The hours passed swiftly, Elladan spent much of the time pondering the future. He would miss Estel greatly, the young human had been a feature in his life for over twenty years, and he had come to care greatly for his adopted brother. But he anticipated that Elrohir and himself would go out with the rangers again, they had done so in the past and once Estel had settled with the rangers, they might be able to join them on occasion. 

Elrond had told Elladan already that he and Halbarad had agreed that at least for the first year, Estel should have no elven companions, so that he would have a chance to adjust to the rangers' way of life by himself. Elladan looked at his sleeping human brother. He would miss him a lot. 

Elladan's thoughts wandered to Legolas. He had come to like the Mirkwood prince greatly. Once he had started to open up, the younger elf had turned out to be a considerate, thoughtful companion who could be trusted in any situation, but who also was not above some fun. And he was a formidable warrior. He, too, would be missed in Imladris. Elladan wondered what the future would bring for Estel and Legolas. He did not doubt that they would find a way to stay together. The older twin had seen and felt the connection between them, he knew in his heart that these two would go to great lengths to maintain their relationship.

Later, Elladan woke Elrohir for his watch. The younger twin's thoughts wandered on similar paths as those of his brother. But Elrohir mentally added that if anything ever went wrong with Estel whilst he was with the rangers, he would be there as fast as possible, never mind any agreements between his father and Halbarad. Elrohir had always felt fiercely protective of his human brother, he had no intention of letting him out of his sight completely. Elrohir knew that it was also this protectiveness that had led him to reject Legolas for such a long time. The younger twin was grateful that he had had a chance to change his mind, as he had come to like Legolas. He knew that Elladan was closer to the prince, they were more compatible in personality. And yet, they all had spent many enjoyable hours together over the last year, and Elrohir regretted the pain that the upcoming separation would cause for both Estel and Legolas. 

Elrohir did not wake Estel for his watch but let him sleep. His brother would be annoyed in the morning, but there would be few opportunities to spoil him in the near future.

Early in the morning, Estel did wake, up, and true to Elrohir's prediction, he was annoyed by not having woken up.

"Estel, don't you understand? I do not try to treat you as a child, but I wanted to do something for you. There will not be many opportunities for this soon. Why would you deny me this pleasure?"

Estel looked at his brother. Usually there was a hint of mischief in Elrohir's grey eyes, but now they were locked into Estel's with a serious expression.

Estel sighed. He should have expected this – Elrohir had always been overprotective.

They broke their fast with some Lembas bread and then slowly made their way towards Rivendell. They would arrive in the afternoon.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After a considerable while in the branches of the tree, Elrond and Legolas made their way into the house. To Legolas' relief, there was no sign of Gandalf. 

When they were passing Legolas' room and he was about to open the door to withdraw for the night, Elrond said: "You should not be alone tonight. Come, I do not believe that I will sleep this night, I will work in my study and you can keep me company. Would you like to do that?"

Legolas hesitated. He really did not want to bother Elrond more than he had already. But on the other hand, Elrond had guessed correctly, the last thing he wanted to do was to spend long hours of the night pondering his fate.

So Legolas agreed and whilst Elrond worked on the details of some trade agreements, the prince settled with a book in an armchair in the corner. Not surprisingly, he could not concentrate on what he was reading, so after a while he gave up and watched Elrond whilst he was working. The elf-lord was facing Legolas, but looked down on the paperwork in front of him. His hand with the quilt was moving steadily from left to right, covering the parchment with regular, fluid handwriting.

The younger elf felt completely drained. He found Elrond's regular hand movements mesmerising, and after a while he dropped of into fitful sleep, slouched back in the chair with his legs stretched out in front of him. 

Some time later, Elrond noticed that Legolas had gone to sleep, and smiled. He had hoped that the emotionally exhausted prince would do just that. He got up and quickly got a blanket that he spread over the younger elf, stopping for a moment to look at his guest's face. Relaxed and eyes glazed over in sleep, Legolas' youth and beauty stuck Elrond yet again. 

For a brief moment, Elrond wondered what it would have been like to raise Legolas as a son. Probably not always easy, and yet hugely rewarding. He wondered whether Thandruil had been able to make the time and effort to appreciate his son. Legolas was so different in personality from Thandruil, and yet there were commonalities, an iron determination and an unwavering sense of duty not the least of them. 

Elrond had no doubt that Thandruil's and Legolas' relationship was difficult, and that the younger elf felt at times stifled and dominated, whereas Thandruil was trying to protect his son. Legolas would have to return to his home soon, and time would tell whether Legolas' stay in Imladris had had any impact.

With his thought, Elrond returned to his work. He worked until he fell asleep on his paperwork, not an infrequent occurrence.

A few hours later, Legolas woke up, with a stiff neck and back from the uncomfortable position he had been sleeping in. He was grateful for the blanket that Elrond had put over him. He got up, and then realised that Elrond himself was sleeping at his desk. With a pang of homesickness he remembered how often he had found his own father just in such a position. He took the blanket and spread it over Elrond, who did not stir. Then he made his way to his own room for more comfortable sleeping arrangements. 

~  ~ ~ ~ ~

The next day, Legolas spent largely trying to keep out of everyone's way. He expected Estel to return either on this day, or at the latest, the following day. When he heard a commotion late in the afternoon, he guessed it was the twins and Estel. He made his way to the courtyard, and indeed, there they were. Laden with meat, laughing and joking. They had clearly enjoyed themselves.  

As they arrived, Estel's eyes searched for Legolas, hoping to see the young elf. Legolas stood quietly in a corner, his expression unreadable. When Estel's eyes met his, his face lit up. Estel immediately sensed that something was not quite right. Normally Legolas would have come forward to welcome him, but instead Legolas stayed in the background as they greeted Elrond and saw to their horses. The twins noticed the difference as well, they had often witnessed Legolas and Estel greeting each other. 

Elladan said: "Estel, give me your reigns. I'll see to your horse. Go and greet Legolas. I can tell something is not right with him." Estel looked at his brother gratefully. "Thanks, Elladan." The young man quickly slipped of his horse and went over to Legolas. They embraced, and Estel lost no time Legolas what was wrong.

"I will tell you in the garden. Estel, I am so glad you are back!" In a rare public show of affection, the young elf slipped his arm around the human's waist and pulled him away.

Elladan and Elrohir looked at each other. "I wonder what was that about?" Elrohir voiced both their concerns.

"They have much to talk about." Elrond's comment caught them unaware. They had not noticed that their father was also watching Estel and Legolas. "I am sure that they will tell you all about it later."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Later that evening, Estel and Legolas were sitting on Estel's bed. They had talked for a long time about everything that had happened. The arrival of the Mirkwood warriors, the confrontation with Gandalf, and Legolas' impending departure. Legolas had also told Estel how his foster father had supported him, and how grateful he was for that support. He then continued:

"Estel, I have promised a swift return after you have come back. I do not think I will be able to delay any further than the day after tomorrow."

"So soon?" Estel looked shocked. Then he sighed. They both had known this was going to happen, perhaps swift farewells were better than long drawn out ones.

They decided to spend this evening with Elrond and the twins, as it was the last opportunity for them to do so. Tomorrow would be their last evening together, that time they wanted to keep free for themselves.

Somewhat to everyone's surprise, the evening turned out to be lively, rather than morose. The twins had convinced Elrond to join them in a board game that involved selling and buying stalls and market rights, and they were setting up when Legolas and Estel came to join them. This was a game that Estel particularly enjoyed, and it was a game that worked better with a larger number of players. So the decision was taken quickly for all of them to play together, and the evening turned into a time of much fun and laughter, as Estel won more and more of the tokens and everyone else ended up paying him more and more as they moved across the board. Elrohir run out of money first, followed swiftly by Legolas. Elladan and Elrond came to an agreement but even jointly they did not have sufficient tokens to offset Estel's wealth. At the end of the evening, Estel was the clear winner. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The next day came and went too swiftly. It was filled with Legolas' travel preparations and many farewells. Legolas had become popular in Imladris over the last year. He knew many people and the warriors had accepted him as one of their own. There were many farewells to be said. Rinirion and his companion were amazed. They had always perceived Legolas as a reserved, aloof and uninvolved prince, here he smiled and joked with the warriors and was obviously well liked. Rinirion made a mental note to tell King Thandruil everything he observed. 

Legolas also exchanged a few words with Gandalf. Gandalf repeated the promise of support that he had made to Elrond, but he did not apologise for his harsh words. In his opinion, he had spoken a necessary truth. Both the elf and the wizard realised that it would take a long time for the prince to trust Gandalf again fully, a fact that the wizard acknowledged silently with regret. 

In between all of this, there was not much time for Estel and Legolas to spent together. Estel had asked his father not to make a big event out of Legolas' leaving, he felt neither of them could cope with it. But Elrond had asked the cooks to produce Legolas' favourite foods, which of course included winterberry tarts, for the evening meal. 

When the time for the evening meal approached, Legolas was just finishing his packing. He had closed the last bag. His room looked odd. After having been 'his' room for almost a year, all his personal belongings, mainly clothes, but also a few books that Elrond had given him, had been either packed or would go into storage for future use. He was only able to take two small packs, since they also needed provision for the journey. Legolas had been quite surprised how many things had accumulated in one year – several sets of clothing, several books given by Elrond, a game that Elladan and Elrohir had given him, a spare quiver – in addition to the weapons he had brought when he came.

The evening meal was a quiet affair, with both Estel and Legolas eating little. Elrond regarded them with sadness Legolas smiled when he saw the dessert, and even though he did not really feel like eating, he admitted that he enjoyed the tart very much.

After the meal, Estel and Legolas excused themselves. They would see everybody in the morning before Legolas' departure. Estel had asked Legolas how he wanted to spend their last evening together, and the prince had suggested a walk to all their favourite places in Imladris. 

They walked together for several hours, mostly in companionable silence. What needed to be said, had been said. It was sufficient for them to be in each other's company. They walked with their hands interlinked, or with their arms around each other's waist, enjoying the closeness and comfort. Finally, they chose one of their favourite spots overlooking the valley, and sat down to watch the stars, simply holding each other.

"Legolas, the life of a ranger is a dangerous one. If I should not return one day, I would like you to know two things. I love you more than I can tell," with these words Estel kissed Legolas briefly before he continued," and that I would like you to find happiness again. Do not fade for me, remember me and cherish the memories of our time together, but I would want to see you happy again."

"Estel, I do not know whether I can promise you that. I, too, love you more than I thought I was able to love anyone. I do not know what would happen if you died. I do not wish to think about it." With these words, Legolas took his turn kissing Estel, a sweet, lingering kiss that lasted.

"I will miss you terribly."

"I know." Estel looked at Legolas face, faintly illuminated by his inner elven glow.

"Legolas, I am afraid of going with the rangers. I know so little about men, I do not wish to leave here or to leave you. But the choices have been made."

Legolas gently pushed a strand of dark curly hair out of Estel's face. "You will adjust, I am sure of it. Trust in yourself. Estel, we will see each other again. I know this in my heart, this cannot be the end. I love you too much for that."

After a while, they walked back to the house. It was almost dawn when they arrived in Estel's bedroom. Quietly, they undressed and got into bed. They made love, gently, each trying to give the other as much pleasure as possible, each trying to memorise as much of the night as they could. Afterwards, they held each other close until the first rays of the sun broke over the ridge. It was time to get up and face the day.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Legolas and the two Mirkwood warriors were ready to depart. Their belongings were packed and tied to the horses. Estel, Elrond and the twins were standing nearby to say good-bye.

Legolas turned to Elrond first. "Thank you. For everything." He smiled at Elrond, although he could not hide the sadness in his eyes.

"You are always welcome here, Legolas Thandruilion. Have a safe journey. I hope to see you soon again." Elrond stepped forward and enclosed Legolas in a brief embrace. The two Mirkwood warriors followed the exchange with amazement.

Legolas turned to the twins. "Elladan, thanks for having become such a good friend. I will miss you." They, too, hugged briefly.

"Elrohir, don't get your brothers into too much trouble! Or at least, until I return and you can tell me all about it…"

"I will try. Legolas … have a good journey." Elrohir smiled at the prince and briefly clasped his arms.

"Thank you."

Estel had so far stood slightly to a side, watching Legolas' farewells to his family. Now Legolas turned to him. Their eyes locked, and they moved towards each other at the same time. They embraced briefly, but did not kiss. They had said their good-byes, neither of them wanted to draw out this painful parting.

Estel said very quietly: "Do not forget that I love you. Remember me."

"I love you too. You know that." Legolas let go of Estel and turned to his horse. With one fluid movement, he was on top of his mount. He bent down and gave Estel one last kiss.

"Be careful. Come back to me." With these words he gave the sign for departure. 

Estel watched the three riders until he could not see them no longer.

TBC.**  Please review**


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's note: Yet again a big 'thank you' to all reviewers. The last chapter was rather sad. I agree with all of you … and yes, I did think of a middle earth version of monopoly when I wrote the small scene about the game.**

**~ ~ ~ ~ ~**

Chapter 19 – To Make A Choice 

Somehow or other, Estel made it through the day. He functioned but inside he felt completely empty. Legolas had gone, and he did not know at all when he would see him again. They had been apart before, but they had always known that in a few months time they would meet again. This was different; this was a separation of indeterminate length.

When it came to the midday meal, he ate what was put in front of him, unaware of what he was eating. Elrond looked at his foster son with concern. He had expected Estel to take the separation from Legolas hard, but the young man looked completely dazed. When spoken to, he needed gentle promptings before he reacted, and Elrond was certain that he had no idea what he had just eaten. 

Elrond wondered what task he could find for Estel to keep him busy, but which would not suffer too badly from his son's lack of concentration. Finally he asked the young man to help him sort out books in the library. Estel complied without objections, on this afternoon Elrond could have asked him to jump down the waterfalls and he would have hardly noticed.

By the time the bells rang for the evening meal, Estel was exhausted. He felt so torn apart that the thought of further eating felt repulsive. He gave his excuses to Elrond and went to his room. He laid down on his bed, staring at the carved ceiling. In his mind he saw Legolas' face, his shy smile and sparkling eyes. He heard the last words that Legolas had said to him. And all of a sudden, the tears came. The heartache and worries, and the immense loss that Estel felt at Legolas departure made way their way into great, heart rendering sobs, which he stiffled with his pillow. Estel, also called Aragorn, foster son of Lord Elrond and future ranger, laid on his bed with his hands clenched into fists, sobbing until there were no tears left. He cried for Legolas, for himself, for lost opportunities, for a future that might not be, for having to leave his home and family.

Somewhat later, Elrond heard the muffled sobs and quietly opened the door. His heart ached for his foster son, this separation seemed to be so cruel. And Estel was still young enough to find relief in tears. Elrond simply sat down on the edge of Estel's bed and laid his hand on his human son's back, giving support but not truly interfering.

Finally, Estel fell asleep after the emotional upheaval. Elrond remained with him for a long time, only when the elf-lord was certain that the young man was fast asleep, he covered his son with a blanket and left for his own rooms with a heavy heart. 

Estel woke up during the early hours of the morning, feeling drained and yet strangely at peace. The desperation he had felt during the previous evening had given way to determination. Estel was now certain that no matter what happened in the next few years, he would find Legolas again and they would have a future together. 

Estel never knew that this night his childhood irrevocably ended. Moving from rebelling against his fate to accepting it, but determined to fight for the love of his life, Estel took the responsibility for his own fate. He realised that ultimately, _he_ made the choices in his life, and _he_ had to live with the consequences – all of them. And it was him who had to decide which prices were worthwhile paying, no one could or would do that for him. And Estel accepted this responsibility.

When he came to breakfast the next morning, Elrond was surprised to see how clear the young man's eyes were. There were no uncertainties and doubts, only a calm acceptance of his situation but also determination. And Elrond guessed that the latter concerned Estel's desire to see Legolas again.

A few days later, Halbarad and a few other rangers came to collect Estel. Estel and his family kept the good-byes brief. No one wished to prolong the parting. Rivendell would always be Estel's home, and Estel expected to see his brothers and father again as soon as Halbarad felt he had settled well enough amongst the rangers. This was a temporary parting, and whilst painful, it did not seems to be as final as the parting from Legolas had appeared.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Six months later.

King Thandruil took a break from working on his paper work. His thoughts wandered to his son, whose return after almost two years had wrought more than one change.

Initially, Thandruil had been overjoyed by Legolas' return, and had even allowed himself to show this joy clearly. He was glad to see that Legolas had responded with the same obvious pleasure of seeing him.

But after a few quiet days in Lasgalen, Legolas had approached an unpleasant topic. Thandruil was working in his study, when Legolas knocked on his door.

"Father, do you have time to talk?"

Thandruil did not really have time, but thought that for his only son, he would make the time. When Legolas approached him in this manner, it had to be important.

The king looked up from his paperwork and smiled. "Of course. If it is important enough for you to come and interrupt me, I have time for it."

"I saw the letter you sent to Lord Elrond." Legolas said, careful to use the formal title. He looked levelly at his father. "It hurt me greatly to find out that you object so much to Estel and that you have never told me. But what hurts most is that in all these years you have not tried once to see beyond the fact that he is mortal."

Thandruil was shocked, both by the fact that Legolas knew about the letter and the fact that he had the courage to bring it up with him. 

There was pain in the dark blue eyes of his son, and a vulnerability that Legolas had not allowed his father to see in many years.

Thandruil felt a mixture of anger and pity. "This letter was not meant for your eyes. And yet, I wrote nothing but the truth in it. This foster son of his will not take my son away from me."

"Father, he has a name. Estel has been coming here for many years, and not once have you been at least remotely welcoming to him. I love him. You will not change that." Legolas' eyes now showed defiance and anger.

In turn, Thandruil got more annoyed. "Legolas, if you have read this letter, I do not have to repeat what I said in it. You have responsibilities here which you will fulfil. You are not only my son but also a prince, and one day you will have to marry an elf-maiden. I have already begun to look at suitable candidates. You are still too young to marry but in another decade or so it will be time."

"I will not marry anyone who is not of my choosing. My life is my own, to give to a mate of my own choosing. I have made my choice." With those words, Legolas turned and left, closing the door behind him very quietly.

No, Thandruil thought, you have not yet made your choice because you are too young take this decision. Yet again, the king inwardly wished Estel to the end of the world. If it had not been for this boy, Legolas may have chosen a more suitable female companion for physical experimentation. Thandruil was not naïve enough to believe hat his son's relationship had remained platonic, even though he had never seen Estel and Legolas showing each other affection in public or in front of him. 

With a sigh, the king returned to his work. Somehow or other, he and Legolas always ended up arguing, although, the king admitted to himself, Legolas was more important to him than his own life.

Altogether, the king found his son changed, whether for better or worse, he was not yet certain. Although still more reserved than outgoing, Legolas was much more confident than he had been when he left two years ago. He insisted on being given regular patrol duties and emphasised that he did not want any special treatment. Thandruil had been reluctant to agree to this, prior attempt of integrating Legolas as an 'ordinary' warrior had miserably failed. Not so this time. The king heard no complaints from either his son or others, so he assumed that things were going smoothly.

At first, Legolas had found attempting to fit in with the other warriors as he had done in Imladris difficult. Everyone was used to seeing him as the _prince_, not a capable warrior in his own right. But he received help from an unexpected quarter. Rinirion and Anuvial, the two elves who had accompanied him from Rivendell talked about what they had seen in Imladris, and how well liked and respected Legolas had appeared there. This resulted in many more of the warriors making an effort to talk to him since they felt that a prince from Lasgalen should not be more appreciated in Imladris than at home. Legolas did his best to downplay his rank and to participate in everything and anything. 

Consequently, slowly, Legolas was respected much more than before, and was able to build up tentative friendships beyond his few long-term personal friends. He was also able to show the Mirkwood warriors that even a prince can be a good, if not outstanding, warrior. He had acquired a number of new techniques during his time in Imladris, which he now gladly passed on to others. Altogether, slowly, the prince was able to gain the respect, acceptance and in some cases friendship of his fellow warriors. 

Legolas also made a point of getting to know the other non-royal inhabitants of Lasgalen better. In Imladris, differences in status were much less pronounced than in Lasgalen. Elrond valued every one of his people equally, whether he or she were a smith, a seamstress or a warrior. In Lasgalen, there had always been clear boundaries concerning who was acceptable company for whom. 

Legolas had already decided before his return that he would make an effort to break out of this pattern, and once at home, spent much time talking and watching a very wide variety of people. Soon, one of his favourite haunts became the kitchens. He had liked to spend time there as a child, but as he grew up, protocol had prevented him from these visits. Now, he did not care, and returned to visiting the kitchens when he felt hungry or simply when he wanted some undemanding company. Much to his surprise, he found it as easy now as it had been as a child to charm the cooks into giving him extras of his favourite foods.

He also missed Estel immensely. He fell asleep with the image of his lover on his mind and woke up with it. He missed Estel's smile and the twinkle in his grey eyes when he looked at him. He missed the young man's always present support, his laughter, and their long, intimate conversations. He missed being embraced and caressed. He missed making love. But Legolas Thandruilion told no one about this private suffering. He knew his father would not be sympathetic, and there were not many people in Mirkwood with whom Legolas would share such personal issues. Some of his closer friends noticed the sadness in his eyes, but no one asked, and Legolas did not volunteer to talk about it. 

He thought on more than one occasion that if Elladan were here, he could speak to him. The young archer was acutely aware of the fact that he had made closer friends in Imladris in one short year than he hade made in centuries in Mirkwood.

Currently, the Legolas had returned from a patrol. He was dirty, hungry and tired. His patrol unit had encountered and taken out a rather large nest of spiders, there had been many of the evil creatures and the four elves had to fight hard. But they had persevered and finally been able to kill the last of the creatures. They had then returned to the palace sicne it was the end of their duty anyway. A replacement until was already on its way.

Legolas' first duty was to report to his father. With amazement he realised that although many things had changed since his return, the relationship with his father was as difficult as it had always been, perhaps it had become even more so since he had become more confident and less easy to manipulate. Legolas made his way to his father's study, and reported the incident with the spiders. Thandruil was concerned.

"You said there were many of them, more than usual?"

Legolas nodded. "The darkness from Dol Guldur is spreading. We will have to find out what is happening there."

Thandruil looked at his son, for the first time appreciating him for the warrior he had become.

"We will discuss this after you had an opportunity to bathe and eat."  

The younger elf nodded and made his way to his rooms. Once he had arrived, he quickly stripped and enjoyed a long warm bath, relaxing in the warm water. He felt much better afterwards. Whilst he was dressing in fresh clothes, he looked onto his desk. There was a message! A sealed parchment that had been delivered to his room whilst he had been away. He would have recognised the handwriting, slanting and bold, anywhere. It was a letter from Estel.__

_~_

_Dearest Legolas, _

_I have now been living with the rangers for four months. Today a messenger is leaving for Imladris and I will give him this letter. Father will send it on to you. I hope it finds you well._

_Legolas, I miss you more than I can say. Everything. Your smile, your face, hearing you laugh, talking to you, joking with you, holding you, making love with you. But you are not here and life must carry on._

_I still feel very much that I am a stranger amongst these people. Strangely enough, many of them look like me, it feels very odd. I do not feel that I have much in common with them._

_When Halbarad collected me, he insisted on a few what he called 'ground rules'. He wanted me to change my clothes and to cut my hair, so that I would fit in easier amongst men. Changing into ranger's clothing was not difficult, although I find the clothes cumbersome and awkward. Imagine to have breeches with buttons at the front instead of laces, I cannot believe that men wear these all the time! And these great, heavy cloaks – Halbarad has given me one, he said it was my natural father's. When he gave it to me, I thought I would feel some connection, but there was nothing. Just a big heavy dark cloak._

_Then Halbarad insisted on cutting my hair. I have not had short hair like this since I was a small child. It is a nuisance because I cannot tie it back anymore and it is in my face all the time. I will feel uncomfortable when I return home._

_But the most difficult thing for me is the language. In the summer, when we all travelled together, we spoke more Sindarin than Westron since both rangers understood it. Halbarad told me that not all rangers do and that I would have to improve my Westron. By the end of the day, I feel completely brain-dead. I know that my Westron is not as good as it should be, I can communicate well enough but I make mistakes and I have to concentrate hard. They have also told me that I have a strong Sindarin accent. It is such hard work to think and speak in a foreign language all the time!_

_And then the food. When we travelled in the summer, we mixed elvish and human food, and that was fine with me. Now, I have no choice. They eat so much meat, I am surprised there is any game left around human settlements at all! And my body simply refuses to process it. After some days of terrible discomfort, I had to resort to taking some herbs to help things along. It works, but I believe I will have to use these for a long time to come. I would give a lot for a simple meal cooked by my father's cooks._

_Well, and what have we done? We travelled from Rivendell westwards until we reached the settlements of the rangers. They are a strange folk, quiet and secretive, and yet they are proud of their heritage. They live in small, fortified settlements, rough to behold from the outside. But inside the dwellings, every item is crafted beautifully, it is easy to see the elven heritage in this people. In contrast to most humans, they educate their children in reading and writing, herb lore and history, they teach them how to live in harmony with nature, but also how to track and to fight. Their girls all learn some midwifery, and each will learn the use of at least one weapon, boys and girls alike. They are a proud people but I can still not believe that I am one of them. I am using my given human name, so many people have recognised me. I have kin here, cousins I had heard of, but whom I had never met._

_Legolas, I am worried that when we see each other again, you will not like what you find. _

_And yet, I miss you so much. I think of you all the time. You know what I miss most of all? Waking up with you in the mornings, feeling you close to me. At home I did not realise how much this meant to me. _

_Please write soon, write to Rivendell, sooner or later a message will make it to me._

_I love you more than words can tell._

_Estel_

~ 

Legolas put the letter down. He took a deep breath. Reading Estel's words had been like hearing his voice, his letter being written so much in the same way as he spoke. By the Valar, he had not known that it was possible to miss another so much! 

The prince pondered Estel's words. Some of it was touching, and some of it was quite funny. He could just about see Estel struggling with human food or clothing. He could not, however, imagine Estel with short hair, as long as they had known it had always been waist length, longer than his own. But it also saddened Legolas that Estel, who was mortal after all, felt so little connection to his own people. Unused to their language and customs, he found it clearly quite difficult to adapt. 

The prince wondered whether Elrond knew how hard the change would be for Estel from living in Rivendell to living with the rangers. He probably did, but this letter showed plainly that Estel had a lot to learn about his own people. Legolas decided to answer as soon as possible and send the message to Rivendell.

TBC.  **Please review**


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's note: Thank you, everyone, who reviewed. It is lovely to get as many reviews as I got for the last chapter. **

**Several of you asked for more detail of Estel/Aragorn's adaptation to the rangers' way of life. Bear with me, there will be more. **

**This chapter is somewhat shorter than the previous ones but it is pretty much a self-contained 'chunk', which did not lend itself to being combined the next chapter, which will follow quickly.**

**Thoughts in '..' rather than …, the new document manager on ff.net does not accept the stars.**

**Heavenly Angel: You should be able to format in the new document manager on ff.net. **

****

**Chapter 20 To Make A Choice**

Next evening.

King Thandruil hesitated. What he was about to do was wrong, and he knew it only too well. And yet, he told himself, he just wanted the best for his son.

Thandruil had been looking for Legolas to discuss how Lasgalen could be best defended against the increasing numbers of orcs and spiders. He had knocked onto Legolas' door and there had been no response, so he walked into the room. Legolas was not there, and Thandruil remembered that his son had said he would go for some archery practice in the evening. 

Thandruil was about to leave the room, when several pieces of parchment on Legolas' desk caught his eyes. Normally Legolas did not deal with much in the way of paperwork, so the king's curiosity was aroused. He took a step nearer and saw that one of the parchments was a rolled-up message, several pages long, which had Legolas' name written on it in an unfamiliar handwriting. 

There was only one person who was likely to write a message of such length to Legolas. He wondered what the human wrote to his son and picked up the message. At that moment it hit him that what he was about to do was a breach of trust that could affect his already strained relationship with Legolas greatly, if the younger elf ever found out. Feeling pangs of guilt, he nevertheless took the parchment and opened it up.

_Dearest Legolas_

_ …_

_Legolas, I miss you more than I can say. Everything. Your smile, your face, hearing you laugh, talking to you, joking with you, holding you, making love with you …_

'How does he dare to speak like this of my son!' Thandruil thought angrily on reading the first few lines. Despite his resentment, he was surprised how literate and fluent the Sindarin of the letter was, Elrond had taught the boy well.

_I still feel very much that I am a stranger amongst these people…_

'Pathetic. He cannot even fit in amongst his own kin.'

_When Halbarad collected me, he insisted on a few what he called 'ground rules'. …._

Thandruil recalled Estel's face and briefly wondered what the boy would look like with his hair cut short in human fashion and in ranger's clothes. Much more like the mortal he was, of course, but there had been no denying of this anyway.

_But the most difficult thing for me is the language…. It is such hard work to think and speak in a foreign language all the time!_

Thandruil had never given this any thought, and he stopped in surprise. Yes, Estel - Aragorn's first language was very evidently Sindarin; he had never heard the young man speak anything else.

_And then the food… _

'He cannot even eat his own people's food. Why did Legolas had to fall in love with someone who is mortal but has lived as an elf, unable to fit in with either? '

Then there was a long paragraph on the rangers' way of life that Thandruil skipped. It held no interest for him.

_Legolas, I am worried that when we see each other again, you will not like what you find. _

'I hope this very much. If Legolas sees your mortality clearer he may come to his senses and be done with this folly.'

_… You know what I miss most of all? Waking up with you in the mornings, feeling you close to me…._

'What?' This meant that either with or without Elrond's knowledge these two had shared a bedroom!'Thandruil was furious.

_…I love you more than words can tell._

'The presumption of this mortal! How could he claim to truly love an elven prince, not one of his own and above him in rank and station? '

Not once did it occur to Thandruil that, arguably, Estel could even be considered to be of higher rank and station than Legolas.

Thandruil carefully rolled up the parchment and replaced it. He was furious about the presumptuousness of the young human, and was deeply concerned by the closeness that the letter reflected. Somehow, this needed to be stopped. It appeared that so far, distance had done very little to dim the affection that the human held for his son.

The king's gaze fell onto a second parchment neatly folded next to a quilt. Now without any compulsions, Thandruil unfolded the sheet. 

Legolas' response. This did make him hesitate. This was a personal letter from his son, an entirely different matter than reading a message from the mortal. And yet, curiosity and anger won.

_Dear Estel,_

_Yesterday I received your letter. I cannot tell you how happy it made me! I miss you everyday and every hour. _

_It is the small things that I miss most about you being away, such as braiding your hair or you holding me, going for a walk together, talking. The list is endless, I cannot express how much I miss you. It is like a great hole inside that only you can fill._

_It sounds as if you find living with the rangers quite hard. I am not surprised, you have lived all your life as one of us and there must be dozens of differences between the way mortals live and the way you have lived in Rivendell. Do not worry about changing yourself, Estel, I will always love you no matter how much you change on the outside. Yes, I regret that Halbarad cut your hair, I have always liked it the way it was, but in the end it does not matter. Neither do your clothes or if you decided to grow your facial hair – although there is not much of that anyway at the moment!_

_Estel, I trust and believe in you. One day you will know where your path lies, and I will be there to walk along side you. It is quite hard to get rid of me once I have made a commitment!_

_It is as difficult with Father as it has always been. Or perhaps more so even, since I have seen this summer what a family could be like. I have never been so acutely aware of what I do not have. I have no doubt my father loves me, but he does not see me, he sees an image of what I should be. _

_You are fortunate in that your father does not ask anything of you for loving you, he just accepts you for who and what you are. My father does not, and I have not yet succeeded in living up to my father's expectations. _

_I cannot remember ever being happier than in the last year. I miss you greatly, but I also miss the twins and your father. On more than one occasion I have not only wished that you were here but Elladan and Elrohir as well. We could have much fun together here, Mirkwood has still much to offer, even if the evil is encroaching._

_Since my return many things here have changed. The two years away have really helped, and believe it or not, Rinirion has helped me greatly. He spread the word that I had been trained by Glorfindel and had led patrols for him. This was as good an recommendation as I could get, and I am now on normal patrol duty, much as I was in Imladris. I still have to work for being respected as myself, rather than the prince, but it has become easier. I think also many of the younger warriors have realised that they cannot taunt me without repercussions, I am faster than almost all of them and I have learned a few things from Glorfindel's training which I will not share unless I need them. I have got three warriors in my unit, and we get on well – after they had accepted that my fighting and woodcraft skills are at least equal, if not better, than their own._

_Estel, I will send this to Rivendell and hope it will find you well. I, too, miss you more than I can say._

_Legolas._

After having finished reading Legolas' letter, King Thandruil felt both extremely angry and shocked. The letter also many questions in his mind. Was this how his son saw him? And how unhappy Legolas must have been here in Mirkwood! What had happened in Rivendell? What had Elrond done to earn Legolas' affection? It was obvious to Thandruil that his son liked the Lord of Imladris and his family. He never had had this feeling before, so something must have happened in the last two years to warrant this feeling.

The depth of feeling towards Estel that the letter showed also shocked Thandruil. The king felt both hurt and annoyed by Legolas' words. He had always thought that his son knew he loved him. How could Legolas compare his father to Elrond? And yet, beyond the initial anger and hurt, Thandruil also realised how little he knew his son. The king held his son's letter in his hand for a long time. Legolas had grown into a respectable warrior, who had made his own friends and had chosen his lover, and he as his father had never really made an effort to see his son for the person he was. 

It was a very pensive Thandruil who refolded the letter and carefully returned it to its place.

TBC. **Please review**


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's note: Thank you all very much for your reviews. It is fantastic to get so many, and to know that you engage with the story!**

** - - - - -**

**Chapter 21 – To Make a Choice**

Two months later.

Estel, now called Aragorn, woke up feeling miserable. He knew the signs. Not another cold! Since he had joined the rangers, Estel had been plagued constantly by minor illnesses. It felt to him as if his nose had hardly stopped running in the last eight months. He knew enough about human illnesses to know that most were passed on from one person to the other and that most humans developed resistance to the more common forms since childhood. He had never been exposed to anyone ill since the Eldar do not suffer from illness, and therefore only had once had a cold, after a visit to Bree.

It now appeared to him as if his body had decided to make up for lost opportunities to rebel. Currently, his head ached and the sides of his face were sore, and he felt slightly feverish, a sensation that he had come to know far too well. Halbarad had warned him that he was likely to suffer more from relatively minor illnesses since he had no childhood resistance against any common human illnesses.

Estel was out with Halbarad on a scouting mission in the area north of the Shire. The young man had never been to the halflings' land and was curious to see it, so Halbarad had taken him along s a companion. There had been news of orcs, and they wanted to check these out.

With a groan, he pushed himself up onto his elbows. He and Halbarad had followed the ways of the elves and had built a small flet in the branches of tree so that both of them could sleep in relative safety from unpleasant surprises. The older ranger was already up, kneeling over his pack and trying to retrieve some food for breakfast. With considerable effort, Estel got himself up and ready for the day. He refused breakfast, which earned him a concerned look from Halbarad. The younger ranger admitted that he was getting another cold. Halbarad was not surprised, this had to be expected.

They pressed on. The two rangers had planned to cover quite a large area this day, and they more or less followed this plan. Throughout the day, Estel felt progressively worse. He noticed that the glands on the sides of his face were now severely swollen, and very painful.

When they stopped for their evening meal, Halbarad took a good look at his younger companion. He sighed, he had seen this before. Nothing uncommon, but a nuisance in the wild.

"Estel, how do you feel?" Halbarad still called the young man Estel, he used 'Aragorn' in front of others, but not when it was just the two of them.

The younger ranger was in too much discomfort to be dishonest. "Terrible... But I am sure I won't die from it."

"I think it is a common childhood illness that you have contracted. Most humans get it as young children and they then do not get it again. In children it only comes with a slight fever and the swelling of the glands on the side of the face. Uncomfortable but harmless."

"We will have to find shelter and stop for a few days. This illness will need to run its course. It will take about a week before you will be more or less recovered. We will have to find shelter and stop for a few days. Stay here, I will see whether I can find us a place where we can stay for a few days."

"A week? That long?" Estel looked horrified. But Halbarad only confirmed the statement and said that it was important that he regained his strength before they carried on.

Halbarad made a quick survey of the surrounding area. He found a small secluded glen not far away, with a rock wall closing it in one side. There was no natural cover, but the two rangers quickly constructed a makeshift shelter out of branches and pine bows leaning against the rock wall. It would serve as some protection from the weather and provide warmth. It was again autumn and the nights were cool, but the weather had not yet truly turned.

Halbarad told Estel to rest as much as possible. The younger ranger did not hesitate to comply, in itself a good indication just how poorly he was feeling. The next two days they spent quietly, with Estel either resting or doing some carving. He was working on a small wooden box that he was adorning with an intricate pattern of inlays. He told Halbarad it would be a present for Legolas.

On the third day, they fell into the same pattern, but Halbarad noticed that Estel did not look better, but more feverish and moved very stiffly.

"Estel, I can see you are not comfortable. Are you tender … here?" The older ranger discretely put his hand over the front of his breeches.

"Yes," Estel whispered almost inaudibly, looking down, extremely embarrassed." How did you know?"

"I told you that this illness is a harmless illness that most children get without any lasting effects. It is not quite so harmless when a man or boy contracts this once he is physically mature. There can be pain in this area, and if that happens there is a good chance of the man not being able to father children."

"Why did you not tell me earlier?"

"Not everyone gets these symptoms, and I did not want to worry you. There is not much we can do for you here bar letting it run its course. However, I have thought about this and I think that you once you have recovered enough to travel I would like to abandon our current mission for the time being, and carry on to Rivendell. I would very much like Elrond to have a look at you after this."

Despite his discomfort, Estel smiled. "We would go to Rivendell? Can we send a message from Bree? I would like to ask my father to send a message to Legolas. Perhaps he could come and join us. I am sure his father will not be impressed but on the other hand I do not really care if Legolas just manages to come.

"We can do that, Estel." The older ranger laid a comforting hand on the younger ranger's shoulder. "I know very well that the last few months have not been easy for you."

The younger ranger rested much, but they also sat and talked. Perhaps it was the desperate need to talk or the fact that Halbarad knew him quite well already and knew Legolas, but Estel opened up to Halbarad in a way that he had done rarely to anyone else. He told the older ranger how desperately he missed Legolas, something he had not talked about with anyone until this point.

When Halbarad talked to him again about the possible long-term consequences of the illness he had contracted, Estel had been relatively unconcerned.

"As long as I can still make love, I do not think it matters that much. I do not plan on having children. Legolas cannot give me any, so it does not matter whether I can have any or not." There was such an absolute conviction in the young man's voice that Halbarad inwardly smiled.

Halbarad looked at the younger man seriously. "Have you ever thought through carefully what it might mean if you do not have children? And Legolas? This is not just about the two of you, there is much more at stake than two people's happiness. I know that you refuse to acknowledge this, but you would not be here if you did not know this to be true." Halbarad took a deep breath. He had talked about this with Elrond, it was time for Estel to fully acknowledge his situation.

"If you and Legolas want any chance of a future together, both of you will have to allow each other the space to have a family. It is not as much an issue for Legolas, he is still very young for an elf and after your death he will have still plenty of time to have children." Estel stared at the ranger. The almost brutal reference to his mortality shocked him.

"For you it is different. Gondor and Anor need a king, and there is only one of the royal bloodline left. You. Even if you do not take up your heritage, you must have heirs. Otherwise your bloodline ends with you and there will be no legitimate king for the future."

"For you, having children is not an option, it is a duty. In the end it will not matter much who the female is or whether you have any desire to lay with her. It will also not matter if you bond to her or not, a recognised heir borne out of wedlock into a royal line is much better than none. You and Legolas will have to accept this, it is part of who you are."

"If it ever comes to this, your future female partner may have to accept that she will not have your love, although you may well be able to find someone whom you respected and find pleasing. You have grown into a handsome young man, Estel, and I have no doubt that many maidens would not object to carrying your child."

Estel blushed. He was stunned by the frankness with which Halbarad had spoken. He could not imagine making love with anyone else but Legolas, but he was sufficiently honest with himself to admit that, as much as he disliked the fact, Halbarad had spoken the truth. A very unpleasant one. When he saw Legolas next, they would have to talk about this.

The older ranger continued. "I will not try to suggest that you and Legolas break up. I know that others have tried this, but I have seen you together and I do not believe that you will part. But you may have to accept that you can never formalise this relationship and that you, at least, will have to have a female partner, even if it is just for some time. You need children, Estel, and Legolas cannot give these to you."

"This is the reason why I am so concerned about this illness. Much depends on you, if you have no heirs, the line of kings would be truly broken. It is a great misfortune that you contracted this illness now rather than with four years of age, when it would have been quite harmless. When you return to Rivendell, you must have your father check you out. You need to know, it is an important aspect of your future."

Estel sat quietly for while, pondering what had been said. Unfortunately, there was much truth in Halbarad's words. However, these were not pleasant thoughts for Estel, and all of a sudden the young man realised how poorly he felt. He hurt all over and felt feverish again.

The older ranger saw the weariness and discomfort in Estel's eyes and suggested another rest. Estel followed this advice gladly, but the thoughts about his situation did not let him find rest. He felt himself trapped in a bizarre situation. He had not even fully accepted who he was, let alone felt like thinking about children for a kingdom that did not even exist at the moment.

Yet again, he wished that Legolas were with him, the elf would have helped him to sort it all out. And to be held by him when feeling so miserable … the thought alone almost drove Estel to tears. With a sigh, Estel turned over. There was no point in self-pity.

He only had one letter from Legolas in the eight months they had been apart. That letter had reached him just before he had left on his present journey, and he had carried it with him all the way, reading and rereading it until the parchment almost integrated. Legolas had not sounded very happy in Mirkwood. Estel wondered just how difficult things were with Legolas' father. With that thought, he drifted off to sleep.

The next few days passed quietly. Estel slept much, but still did not feel like eating. Halbarad was getting concerned about this, his younger companion had always been youthfully slim but since he joined the rangers he had lost weight, Halbarad was sure of that. He had noticed that Estel did not enjoy most of the food and often ate very little. Now, during this week, the young man had hardly eaten at all, on top of fighting this illness that had hit him much harder than it should have.

Yes, some time in Rivendell would be good for him, particularly if Legolas was there as well. Halbarad had accepted a long time ago that Legolas was a hugely important part in Estel's life and that this was unlikely to change. In some ways he envied the youngster, Halbarad himself had been married but his wife had died in childbirth when they were both much younger. The infant, a little boy, had not survived either. Since then, he had been alone.

Halbarad looked down on Estel, who was yet again sleeping. The swelling of his neck and face was much reduced, the fever seemed to have gone and Estel had mentioned earlier that the rest of his body was largely pain free as well. The older ranger decided that they would stay another day and then carry on. They had been fortunate – the weather had held and no one had found their little camp. Better not to push their luck too much.

Halbarad reflected over the last few months. He knew very well how difficult this time had been for Estel. There had been dozens of small incidents that had betrayed the young man's unfamiliarity with his own people.

- - - - -

When they were not on patrol Estel stayed with Halbarad in his small but neat wooden house. On the first evening, he had shown Estel around. The house was not large, just two rooms, one which functioned as a sitting room and kitchen, the other a bedroom. After looking around, Estel asked: "Halbarad, I do not want to be rude or awkward, but where do you wash and do … mhm… other things?"

Halbarad sighed. He knew that this was one area where the customs of elves and men differed quite a bit. "There is a facility outside. I get water from the well in the village square and occasionally have a bath in the river. Estel, I think you will notice quite soon that on the whole men are less … meticulous about their personal care. Therefore many men wash much less frequently than elves – you must have noticed that when we were in Bree."

Estel had noticed it, the resulting odour was difficult not to notice. "I hope you do not mind if I continue to bath in the river, I do not mind if it is cold."

"No, I don't. But expect to be asked about it by others, it is unusual."

- - - - -

Another memorable incident had happened at the annual Selection of Trainees in mid-summer, a big event where the rangers and their families from near and far would meet in one place. All thirteen-year-old boys and girls would be presented with their name and family, and competitions were held to identify those with the most potential in different areas. This included archery, sword fighting, running, tracking, herb lore, art, smithery, tailoring, cookery, and animal husbandry. The craft masters or recognised leaders in each area could then choose their apprentices. Other crafts were represented as well, but not all held competitions. Generally speaking there was a strict separation between boys and girls, normally only the masters of herb lore, art and animal husbandry would consider boys and girls alike, all others would usually only take on girls or boys.

Estel and Halbarad had been watching the archery competition. The field had been reduced to three competing young archers, two boys and one girl. The young man noticed that the two boys were good, but the girl was outstanding. She hit every target dead centre and shot with a speed and precision that Estel had rarely seen in a mortal, let alone in someone this age. The girl was tall and lanky, her dark hair tied into two plaits. She won the competition easily, but Estel noticed the hesitation in the speaker's voice when the result was announced.

Immediately after the competition, the two best archers of the community came and approached the two boys. It was clear from their reactions that the two youngsters were offered training places with the archers, rare and therefore prestigious. Estel watched the two boys returning to their families, being embraced and cheered for their success. The winner of competition sat alone and forgotten on a small rocky outcrop, her bow in her hands, looking dejected.

"Halbarad, why are they not taking that girl? Her shooting is much better than that of those boys!"

Halbarad looked at him in surprise. "No one would take a girl for archery. She would never be able to keep up with the training."

"This one would. Look at her, she is already tall. She will be strong and has much potential. She should be given a chance. Besides, it is such a waste!"

"The elves do not have female archers. Why expect it here?"

"They do. You have probably not noticed. Many male and female elves do not look that different when they wear similar clothes. It is not common, but if a maiden shows true potential like this one has, she would be taken gladly,"

"I did not know that." Halbarad mentally tried to remember the faces of the elven archers he had encountered. Estel was right, many of them had that eternally youthful look that could belong to either gender, and most of the archers wore cloaks when he had seen them, hiding their bodies.

"It strikes me as such a waste of potential not to train that girl further. I could do it…"

"Estel, you are new here. Do not interfere with the archery master's decision. They do not like it if their area of expertise is interfered with, particularly not by very young strangers. Do not even think about it."

- - - - -

With a blink, Halbarad's thoughts refocused on the present. There had been many more incidents like this. All of a sudden, the ranger realised that the forest was eerily quiet. All the normal small sounds of the forest had stopped. And then he heard them. Orcs! And by the sound of them, many.

Halbarad took a quick decision. He was not normally one to run from a fight, but there were only two of them and Estel was not in good shape. They had not yet been spotted.

He turned and woke Estel.

TBC. **Please review.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's note: Thank you, everyone, who reviewed the last chapter. Not quite so many reviews for that chapter... mhm... (Frowns pensively)  
  
Well, here is the next one. At this point I should mention that I will not be able to update for about a month. I am away on a business trip, and do not think I will be able to update during this time.  
**  
**It would be fantastic to return to lots of reviews, both about this chapter and the story as a whole.  
  
- - - - -  
  
Chapter 22 – To Make A Choice  
**  
Halbarad gently but firmly shook Estel's shoulder. "Estel, get up! Quickly!" There are orcs on the way!"  
  
The younger man quietly groaned and got up. He still felt extremely weary, although he was no longer hurting. The two rangers very quickly packed their few belongings, and quietly made their way into the trees, keeping their general direction. This meant that at some stage, they would have to pass the orcs, since they came from the east, and this was the direction the two rangers were heading. Soon both men could hear the orcs clearly. The creatures made no attempt of being quiet. The two rangers were able to see the orcs through the trees and quietly count them – there were at least forty of them, any attempt of fighting them was likely to fail.  
  
All of a sudden, the column of orcs stopped.  
  
"Manflesh!" one of the creatures growled. "They must be nearby! Search for them!"  
  
The rangers moved away, as quietly as they could. But there was nothing they could do to hide their scent, and quickly they had to abandon any notion of escaping unnoticed. The orcs were soon in full pursuit, crashing through the trees.  
  
"Estel, to the river! We must hide our scent!" Estel, too much out of breath to answer, just nodded and changed direction to the riverbank. Tall reeds covered the banks on both sides. Estel plunged headlong into them, and forward into the water. He heard Halbarad follow, but then to his horror realised that their charge through the reeds had left an unmistakable trail. Unless the orcs were blind, they would see where the rangers had entered the water.  
  
At that moment, the orcs appeared on the shore. With fierce growls and screeches they descended to the obvious trail through the reeds, their momentum carrying them forward into the water. But their prey seemed to have disappeared. There was no sign of the rangers.  
  
Hissing, muttering and growling, the orcs milled around the area for some considerable time. Finally their leader gave a command, and under much swearing and muttering, the beasts moved back to the riverbank and into the trees.  
  
After a while, two rangers' heads head appeared between the reeds at the water's edge. The two men had hidden underneath the water and used stalks as air pipes for breathing. Everything they wore was wet, and all their belongings sodden, since everything had been hidden under the water. They quickly swam to the other shore and mounted the bank.  
  
Halbarad noticed that Estel was shivering almost uncontrollably in his wet clothing. The older ranger was quite concerned. Estel had not been fully recovered from his illness, and then to stay for considerable time in cold water and now to be exposed to the cool autumn air in wet clothes was asking for trouble. They could not even light a fire, the orcs were too near, and they had nothing dry left. So they only option was to keep moving.  
  
They marched through the night. Towards dawn Estel felt so tired that he thought he would not be able to set one foot in front of the other. Quietly, Halbarad put his arm around Estel's waist, first simply as a gesture of support and perhaps to provide some warmth, but as the night wore on, the younger ranger more and more leaned into the older ranger until Halbarad half dragged, half carried his exhausted companion.  
  
They stopped early in the morning. Halbarad felt that they were far enough from the orcs to light a fire to dry their clothes and belongings.  
  
"Estel, sit as near the fire so that you get warm again." The older man's voice was coloured with concern.  
  
Estel was so weary that he simply complied, without answering. He curled up next to the fire, still shivering, covering himself with a damp blanket. He fell asleep almost instantly.  
  
Halbarad sat watching him. He was worried about Estel. The time with the rangers had been a drain on the young man's physical and mental resources, constant low-level illness and loneliness were an unfortunate combination, this latest bout of illness not helping at all.  
  
All was quiet. Time passed. Halbarad was tired as well, but not sufficiently to wake Estel. After a few hours, the younger man's sleep became fitful. He moved and muttered softly Elvish words. Halbarad went over and knelt beside his companion, laying his hand on the other's forehead. It was hot. Very hot, with small beads of sweat appearing. Although the hiding place in the reeds had saved them from the orcs, it had led to a relapse. In the early hours of the morning, Estel started coughing, a dry hacking noise that sounded painful. He did not wake up.  
  
Halbarad took a decision. Estel needed to get to Rivendell as fast as possible. They had intended to go via Bree but there was a more direct route that would save about two days travelling. Even taking the shortcut, they were a week's travel from Rivendell. Halbarad remembered that he had promised Estel that they would send a message to Elrond so that he could inform Legolas. This might have to wait, they needed to get to Rivendell as quickly as possible. The young man needed time at home with his foster family and friends. Halbarad promised himself he would make that possible since he had come to like Estel greatly.  
  
Some time after dawn Halbarad woke Estel up. With much effort, the younger man got himself ready. Their provisions had been soaked along side everything else, so that the only edible food left were some apples and dried meat that was simply redried after its bath. Estel just took one look at the meat and shook his head.  
  
"Estel, you must eat. You know that. Eat at least an apple."  
  
"I know I should eat. But I just cannot get myself to do it at the moment."  
  
Once they got going, they just kept moving. After midday Estel had to concentrate hard to keep up with Halbarad, who was increasingly concerned about Estel. The young man did not complain, but he coughed more and it was clear that he found it difficult to go on. Halbarad knew that if they stopped, he would not be able to get his companion moving again. So they kept going, fortunately not encountering anything worse than a downpour. Which did not help.  
  
The two rangers kept going. Estel never complained, but his cough got worse and Halbarad could see that it hurt his chest. The young man also had a fever of varying intensity and was getting progressively more tired. Halbarad was getting seriously worried, Estel was not in good shape, and the road to Rivendell was still long. Halbarad regretted having to return Estel in such a poor state to his foster father.  
  
On the third day after their involuntary extended bath, they had a stroke of good fortune. They meet a group of hunters who knew Halbarad and were on good terms with him. They agreed to the rangers buying their pack horse, a quiet old mare but perfectly healthy and well kept, and they also offered to take a message for Elrond to Bree and to send it on.  
  
After that encounter, Estel could ride on the horse, and they made much faster progress. Halbarad was astonished at the resilience and stamina of his young companion, most men would have given up on this journey a long time ago and would have made to Bree to recover there. Not so Estel. The mere thought of going home gave him the extra strength that he needed to hang on.  
  
- - - - -  
  
A few days later.  
  
Legolas Thandruilion held a message in his hands. It had just arrived from Rivendell by messenger bird. It was brief.  
  
_Dear Legolas,  
  
I have had word that Estel is on the way here. He is not well. I believe it would be good for him if you could come (and probably for you, too.) If you can be spared at home, please come and stay for the winter. You are always welcome here.  
  
Greetings  
  
Elrond  
_  
Legolas briefly debated with himself what to do and then decided that there was only one way forward. He took Elrond's letter and took it to his father, who was working in his study.  
  
"Father? I have had a message from Rivendell. Estel is on his way home and I would like to go to Imladris as well." Legolas handed Elrond's message to Thandruil.  
  
The king frowned. He still resented very much Legolas' association with the human, and yet ... he recalled some of the phrases in Legolas' letter. _"...I cannot express how much I miss you. It is like a great hole inside that only you can fill."  
  
"I have no doubt my father loves me, but he does not see me, he sees an image of what I should be."  
_  
Thandruil looked a this son, and saw the uncertainty and pain in the dark blue eyes that were so much like those of his mother. But there was also determination and defiance, and all of a sudden Thandruil knew that they had reached a crossroad. Legolas was no child any longer, he was young, yes, but he was entitled to his own decisions.  
  
The king sighed. It was hard to accept his son's choices, which went against everything Thandruil had hoped for. But Thandruil knew with absolute clarity that if he said 'no' at this point, Legolas would go to Imladris anyway, and bar sending armed warriors after him, there was no holding him here after this message. He loved the human deeply, even Thandruil could not deny that. And if he went in this manner, he would not return.  
  
The king regarded his son for a long moment. The younger elf endured the gaze without flinching. "Legolas?" the king paused. "...If you go, will you come back?" There was so much genuine anguish in his tone that Legolas was startled.  
  
"I know that life has not always been easy here for you and that living elsewhere has attractions. Even though I do not approve of this relationship, I know how much you care for your human friend. I respect your commitment, even if I think it is misplaced."  
  
Thandruil still looked intensely at his son, and the younger elf had, for the first time in a very long period, the feeling that his father focused on him.  
  
All of a sudden, something changed between the two elves. Legolas approached his father, hesitantly at first, then more quickly. Thandruil opened his arms, a gesture he had not used for a very long time and for the first time in several centuries, father and son embraced. When Thandruil's arms closed around his son's back and he could feel Legolas' breathing against his neck and his arms around his shoulders, the older elf thought with regret: 'What have I done that we have become so estranged? I love my son.'  
  
Legolas was not quite certain what had just happened but he knew that some healing of the rift between his father and himself had occurred. He knew that there was still much they did not agree on, but he also felt that he father loved him. He leaned into the embrace, savouring the moment as rare and special.  
  
"Ada?" Legolas had not used that endearment for many years. Unseen by Legolas, Thandruil smiled at hearing it. "Of course I will come back. But I want to see Estel, I think he needs me."  
  
Slowly the two elves moved apart, and looked at each other. Neither was quite sure what had just happened, but both knew that something between them that had been broken, was on the mend. Not healed yet, but healing.  
  
"My son, go if you must. But take Rinirion and Anuvial with you, the journey is not safe. They can stay for a few days if they wish, and then return."  
  
Legolas nodded, he knew that his father was right. The road was not safe for a lone traveller, however skilled this person was.  
  
"Father... thank you." Their eyes locked again. "I will leave in the morning."  
  
- - - - -  
  
Estel and Halbarad were nearing Rivendell. By sheer force of will, the younger ranger had made it so far. His temperature had been very high for the last few days and his cough was getting worse. He needed rest badly, and both rangers knew it. Most of the time he was only half conscious, but he was sufficiently aware of his surroundings to know that they were now close to Rivendell. When they met the border guards, Halbarad sighed with relief.  
  
The patrol units had been waiting for the arrival of Halbarad and Estel. Elrond had told them to expect the two rangers. A few hours later, the two rangers arrived in the courtyard in Rivendell. Elrond was already waiting, and so were Elladan and Elrohir.  
  
The twins rushed towards the two rangers. "Estel! You are back!" shouted Elrohir, as he pulled his foster brother of the mare and into an embrace. But as soon as he touched his brother, the younger twin shouted: "Father, he is burning up!"  
  
Quickly, the young man was brought into the houses of healing. On the way, Halbarad told Elrond about the illness that Estel had contracted, their flight from the orcs and their involuntary bath and its consequences. Elrond listened without interrupting, and then said: "I know the illness you are talking about. It is very common amongst human children, but more serious for adults."  
  
Then the elf-lord turned to the ranger. "Thank you for bringing him here. I think perhaps one of the reasons why he has been so unwell with this might also have to do with not being very happy. I can imagine that the last few months have not been easy for him."  
  
Halbarad sighed. "I have tried to help him as much as I can, but you are right, it has not been easy for him. He has never lived amongst humans, and finds getting used to it hard. And he missed Legolas. Badly. He has hardly talked about this, but I think the separation from Legolas has hit him hard."  
  
"I have sent a message to Legolas, as you suggested. Knowing these two, I guess that he would even risk a fall-out with his father to come here, but we will see."  
  
The twins had laid their brother on one of the beds, and Estel, only half- conscious to begin with, had taken a deep breath of the familiar scents and had passed out.  
  
Elrond asked Elrohir to get some water and fresh clothes, whilst he and Elladan quickly undressed the young man. Elrond was shocked when he saw Estel without clothes, his foster son seemed to consist only of sinews and bones, ribs and hips showing up sharply.  
  
"Halbarad, he cannot have lost this much weight in a few weeks. What happened?"  
  
The older ranger sighed. "He had constantly minor illnesses, and he does not like our food. The combination has drained his reserves."  
  
"When he is better, I must talk to him about eating more. No wonder this illness has hit him so hard, he has nothing to spare. For now, we will wash him with cool water to get the temperature down, and I will give him some fever-reducing herbs."  
  
The elf-lord quickly checked his human son all over. He listened to his heartbeat and breathing, but to his relief he could find no indication that the lungs were damaged. Full of phlegm, but not damaged. There was still slight swelling of the glands around the face, but this had almost disappeared of its own accord. Elrond also used the opportunity to quickly check the rest of Estel's body, and to his and Halbarad's relief, there was no indication that any permanent damage had been done. Once Estel had recovered, he should be healthy with no lasting effects of his illness.  
  
Elrond then quickly dressed Estel in a thin robe, and covered him with a light blanket.  
  
"He is sleeping now, and he needs it. You look exhausted yourself, Halbarad, go and get some rest." The older ranger had no objections. The strain of getting Estel here had lifted, and suddenly he felt utterly exhausted.  
  
- - - - -  
  
The next three days passed quietly. Estel revelled in the feeling of being at home, speaking Sindarin and spending time with his father and brothers. Under the constant care of Elrond and the twins, he slowly recovered. He slept and ate, slept again, and quite often was simply happy for one of his family to sit with him when he dozed.  
  
On the afternoon of the third day, three riders clad in the colours of Mirkwood arrived. Legolas and his two travel companions. It was Elladan who spotted them first.  
  
"Father, Legolas has arrived!" Together the elf-lord and his son went outside to greet Legolas.  
  
"Legolas, you have come! I knew father had written, but I did not know whether you would be able to come. It is so good to see you!" Elladan grinned a huge grin, and grasped Legolas' forearms in greeting.  
  
"It is good to be back. Thank you for inviting me."  
  
"You are very welome, Legolas. It is nice to see you again. I am sure you cannot wait to see Estel, he is resting. Legolas, I need to warn you, he has been quite ill and seems to take a long time to recover. So do not be surprised that he does not look well."  
  
Legolas wondered at these words how bad Estel really looked. "Yes, I would very much like to see him." Together they went to Estel's room in the halls of Healing.  
  
The young man was indeed resting. Legolas approached the bed and looked at Estel. An involuntary gasp escaped his lips. Was this really Estel? The young man's hair had been cut to shoulder length. Freed from its own weight, it was much curlier than Legolas had ever seen it and framed Estel's face in ringlets. But this was not what had caused Legolas' surprise. Estel was thin, very thin, and pale, every bone in his face standing out in sharp relief.  
  
Legolas knelt down next to the bed and gently ran a hand across Estel's face. The touch was feather light and should not have woken the young man, but somehow it did.  
  
Estel opened his eyes and looked at familiar face with dark blue eyes, framed by light hair. He felt soft lips touching his own.  
  
"Legolas? You have come!"  
  
"I am here." Legolas' eyes were now a sparkling blue.  
  
Man and elf looked at each other with a huge smile on their face, and then Legolas leaned forward again. They hugged each other, and laughed, and kissed.  
  
And that very moment both knew that nothing had changed between them.  
  
TBC. **Please review**


	23. Chapter 23

**Author's note: I am back, and ready to continue this story. Thanks, everyone, who reviewed the last chapter, it was great to come back to your comments!  
  
Read and enjoy!  
  
- - - - -  
  
Chapter 23 – To Make A Choice**  
  
Three months later.  
  
Elrond looked up from the paper work he was dealing with when he heard the clutter of hooves in the courtyard. He went to the balcony and saw that it was the twins, Estel and Legolas returning from a ride they had taken this day. It was a sunny day, the air clear and crisp after a heavy snowfall during the night. The four friends had decided to embark on a wintry outing, and by the looks on their faces and animated gestures, had enjoyed the experience.  
  
After Estel's and Legolas' arrival in Imladris, the twins had returned to their regular duties and Legolas had resumed the patrol duties and training with Glorfindel. The warriors had been glad to see him and had given him a warm welcome. Legolas had found it surprisingly easy to slip back into life in Imladris.  
  
Estel's recovery had been slow. It had taken many weeks before he had regained his strength and full health, and even now, after mid-winter, he was still thinner than he should be for a human his age. Legolas had spent most of his free time with Estel, making sure that he ate and rested sufficiently. Contrary to previous occasions, Estel had followed his father's instructions without too many complaints, for Elrond a clear sign that his foster son had been very ill indeed.  
  
Silently the elf-lord had blessed Legolas many times. Elrond had no doubt that without the prince's presence, Estel's recovery would have been much slower still. On the first day after his arrival, Elrond had taken Legolas aside and had filled him in on what had happened to Estel and the possible consequences of the illness that the young man had contracted. He had also told his son's partner that for the next few weeks they would have to take things easy, and in particular to wait for Estel to make the first move towards making love. Legolas had promised (and Elrond had no doubt he would keep that promise) to wait for Estel to indicate that he was ready to be intimate again.  
  
Elrond had been deeply moved by the concern and care that both his twin sons and Legolas had shown for Estel. Between them, they had made sure he ate all that he needed, took his herbal mixtures and had sufficient opportunities to rest. They also devised a system of keeping Estel occupied until he was able to be up and about again.  
  
Legolas spent much time simply sitting with Estel, often reading in a chair next to the bed when Estel slept. Once Elrond had asked him why he did that, rather then finding something else to do when Estel rested.  
  
"I have missed being with Estel so much, simply being able to look at him is important to me. I do not know for how long we will be separated again, I am trying to savour every moment we have together."  
  
Later Estel told Elrond that it had been the knowledge that Legolas was with him whenever he could possibly be there that he knew that very little had changed between them. To him, it showed that Legolas loved him as much as he had done before Estel's time with the rangers.  
  
Slowly, weeks later, Estel had now almost regained his full strength. As Elrond watched the four young people riding into the courtyard, he thought gratefully that this healthy looking young man with the sparkling grey eyes bore very little resemblance to the very ill young ranger Halbarad had brought to Imladris. For the time being, Estel had abandoned the rangers' garb and had returned to wearing his familiar elvish clothing. His hair had grown long enough to be tied back in the neck. Altogether, he looked much like the Estel who had left Imladris almost a year ago.  
  
And yet there were changes. Estel, who was now called Aragorn by the rangers, had matured. Physically, his face had lost the last traces of boyishness, and despite having lost weight, his shoulders had broadened. Much to his annoyance, he now also had to shave everyday to keep his facial hair at bay.  
  
Estel had learned to keep his thoughts and emotions much more to himself, and to hide them from others. For anyone not knowing the young man well, he had become much more difficult to read. Initially, he only opened up to Legolas about his time with the rangers, but gradually he also talked about it with Elrond and the twins.  
  
It was not only Estel who had matured in the past year. Legolas, too, was still young enough for a year to bring some changes. The prince had not changed physically, he was just as graceful and beautiful as ever, but he, too, had matured. It was obvious to Elrond that something had changed between Legolas and his father. For the first time in all the years he had been coming to Imladris, Legolas had asked for permission to send regular messages home. Elrond had gladly given his consent. Legolas also appeared more confident and, and much more ready to smile and talk to others. Elrond thought that Legolas would always be somewhat quiet and reserved, but he was much less likely to withdraw into aloofness than he had been a year ago.  
  
Elrond also noticed changes in the way Estel and Legolas interacted. The separation seemed to have deepened their relationship rather than loosened it. The young man and the elven prince had always been committed to each other, but after eight months apart, followed by Estel's recovery period, their affection for each other seemed to be as deep as it had been before, perhaps more so. But Elrond also noticed that as time went by, there was increasing physical tension between the two. Knowing that Legolas would not break his promise, Elrond decided to speak to Estel if the issue did not resolve itself soon.  
  
Whilst all of these thoughts were going through Elrond's mind, the four young people in the courtyard had dismounted and taken their horses to the stables.  
  
After everyone had eaten and changed into more comfortable clothes, Elrond, the twins, Estel and Legolas settled down to an evening of relaxation. Everyone occupied their favourite chairs or couches. Elrohir was working on some sketches he had started earlier, Elladan and Legolas were reading, Estel was dozing, leaning against Legolas, and Elrond had tackled some long overdue letters. The only sounds to be heard were the quiet crackling of the fire and the occasional turning of a page or the scratching of Elrohir's coal or Elrond's pen. It was a peaceful, quiet evening.  
  
All of a sudden, Legolas said: "I wish I could have evenings like this at home." There was a lot of wistfulness in his voice.  
  
Elrond looked up. "Do you not have times like this occasionally with your father?"  
  
"Not really. We are now threatened so much by the evil from the South that my father never seems to have has time to stop. There are always reports to hear or to write, patrols to coordinate, warriors' briefs to listen to, quite apart from a King's regular duties."  
  
Elrond regarded the prince for a long while. "I think it may be time for a council between Lady Galadriel in Lothlorien, your father and myself, possibly with Gandalf and Halbarad. Both have much information that would be useful. Have you been to Lothlorien, Legolas?"  
  
"No, I have not been there. I would like to see Calas Caldhorn very much. I have been told much about Lothlorien."  
  
By now, the twins and Estel were following the conversation. "Estel has not been to Lothlorien either. I will attempt to call a council to take place in spring. We can all travel from here and meet up with your father Lothlorien. It would also mean that I could see Arwen again, it has been a long time that I have seen her."  
  
Elrond did not add that Arwen had not taken up his suggestion to come and visit Imladris. But he still wanted to see her, and if she would not come to Rivendell, Elrond decided, he would go and see her in Lothlorien. After all, his pride was worth less to him than his love for his daughter.  
  
"I will contact your father, Legolas, and Galadriel as soon as possible. I know it will not be easy because Galadriel and Thandruil do not like each other. But we need an opportunity to pull together all information that we have, and to see how we can best defend ourselves against the growing shadows in this world."

**- - - - -**

Later the same evening. Estel and Legolas had returned to sharing Estel's bed most nights but this far, they had not been intimate. This evening, Estel had cuddled up against Legolas, and both were almost asleep when Estel suddenly said: "Legolas? May I ask you something?"  
  
Legolas was sufficiently surprised by this question that he pulled himself up onto his elbows and tried to see Estel's face in the dark.  
  
"Estel? Is something the matter?"  
  
"Yes, well, no ... I don't know," the young man's voice was hesitant. "Legolas, do you ... do you still find me attractive?"  
  
Legolas sighed. "Of course I do. Why do you ask?"  
  
"We have been back here for several weeks and you have not touched me once ... I mean you have touched me, but not ... I mean, I know I do not look the way I used to... "Estel stopped.  
  
"Oh Estel! I promised your father not to push you and leave the decision to you whether you wanted to be intimate. I thought you did not feel ready after your illness." Then, with a smile that Estel guessed rather than saw, Legolas added: "At times, I have found keeping to my promise quite hard. Did you not notice when we held each other that I still desire you?"  
  
Estel was silent. He had noticed, and had wondered why Legolas held back.  
  
"Estel? How do you feel about me?" Legolas shifted so that he lay facing his partner, even though they could hardly make out each other's faces in the dark.  
  
"I love you as much as I have always done. I would like to make love. " Estel gently ran his fingers over Legolas' face, down his neck and into his sleep tunic.  
  
That night, Estel and Legolas did not sleep much. The next morning, both felt happier and more relaxed than either of them had felt in a long time.  
****

**- - - - -**

A few days later, Elrond told all three of his sons and Legolas that Galadriel and Thandruil had agreed to meet in Lothlorien as soon as it could be arranged.  
  
Legolas was amazed at the news, he had not expected his father to agree to this meeting. The situation in Mirkwood must be more serious than he had known. He mentioned this concern to Elrond.  
  
"Do not worry too much, Legolas. Your father may have other reasons for his agreement. In any case, you will not have to wait long to find out. We will leave as soon as the passes are clear. I do not believe this will be long."  
  
TBC. **Please review.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Author's note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, it was lovely to be welcomed back!  
  
This chapter contains a lot of musings, but they fill gaps in the story so I hope you do not find them too boring.  
  
In Tolkien's book, Aragorn meets Arwen in Lothlorien when he is twenty years old. I have gone a bit AU here (well, more than this story is anyway) because in my timeline he is about thirty when this happens. I thought I mention this before I get lots of comments on that.  
  
Please read, enjoy and review!  
  
Important: This is a repost - thanks to all of you who pointed out my mix- up of Celebrian and Celeborn. By mistake I posted an unproofed version with lots of mistakes, including the name-confusion. Sorry about this, and thanks to everyone who spotted it!  
  
- - - - -  
  
Chapter 24 – To Make A Choice  
**  
King Thandruil of the Woodland Realm enjoyed a rare moment of peace and quiet. He stood on a wooden bridge over a small forest stream not far from the palace and pondered recent developments. He had been very surprised to receive notes from Elrond and Legolas each, rolled together and sent by messenger bird. Both letters were not long, a bird could not carry more than two or three pages without loosing much speed.  
  
Elrond's message had been brief and to the point, but courteous in tone, simply suggesting a meeting in Lothlorien with Galadriel, and if possible, Mithrandir and Halbarad of the Rangers. There was no mention of the purpose of the meeting but Thandruil guessed that Elrond had not wanted to trust this information to a letter. After all, birds were not immune to arrows or other mishaps. The king guessed that the purpose was to somehow exchange information and perhaps attempts to coordinate defences.  
  
The last years had been increasingly difficult for Thandruil. The pressure of the dark creatures from the South increased, and the elves were pushed hard. There was no real danger for Thandruil's realm yet, but the king was concerned what would happen in the next fifty years or so.  
  
The wood-elven king did not look forward to meeting Galadriel. They had been friends once, but Galadriel had strongly objected to his marriage to Eäradië, his beloved wife and Legolas mother. When Thandruil told her of his plans to marry Eäradië, she had been horrified, and told him that it was his duty to marry a Sindarin elf of appropriate station. To her, Eäradië was a nobody, and a wood-elf at that. Although there had been some intermarrying of Sindarin elves and Silvan elves, it was uncommon and no one of nobility had ever done it. Many of the Sindarin elves regarded the wood-elves as uncultured and primitive.  
  
Thandruil had married Eäradië anyway, and they had been supremely happy for many years. Unconsciously, the king smiled at the memory of his wife. She had been so beautiful and gentle, and yet she could be very determined in some situations. Thandruil remembered her musical laughter, when her dark eyes turned sparkling blue and two small dimples appeared on either side of her face. She had been so beautiful! Suddenly the joyful memories came to an end when he remembered her death after the orcs had tortured her. At the time, he had been almost grateful for her death, had she lived, she would have had to live the rest of her life with a broken body and mind. No, her death had been merciful, but he still missed her, even after all these years.  
  
Eäradië had left him with a two-year-old infant, a babe in arms not yet weaned. Legolas had been a sweet-natured child, and even though he was temporarily unsettled by the sudden lack of his mother, the upset had not lasted, and father and son got used to a routine without a wife and mother. The baby needed a wet nurse, he was too young for solid food, but otherwise his one and only parent was Thandruil. The king fondly remembered many times holding the baby, a small warm body curled up against his chest or in the crock of his arm. And somewhat later, the absolute trust of the young child that 'ada' would be able to make good whatever was amiss.  
  
And then somehow, many years later, things had started to go wrong. Thandruil could not exactly remember when Legolas stopped coming to him, or perhaps he stopped listening. The darkness from Dol Guldur spread and the king's time became scarcer. Or perhaps he made less time for his growing son. Legolas got all the education and training appropriate for his station, but the king saw little of him.  
  
Legolas had never been outgoing, but Thandruil remembered clearly about a hundred years ago when they shared a rare meal together. Legolas was still half a century away from his majority. The meal had been torturous for both of them, Thandruil probing his son with questions about his life, Legolas giving the briefest possible answers. It was obvious that Legolas was unused to this attention and that he avoided certain questions.  
  
Thandruil had noticed especially that his son had been very cagey when it came to talking about friends or lovers. Young elves Legolas' age would normally experiment physically with peers of both genders, trying to find their preferences. Legolas diverted the conversation every time his father tried to find out about this, it was only much later that Thandruil realised that his son probably did not have either friends or more intimate companions at that time. This, too, had been a very painful realisation. And then, at his coming of age, Legolas met Estel.  
  
Thandruil stood now with his elbows leaning on the railing of the bridge, staring into the water. He sighed. Estel's appearance in Legolas' life had increased the rift between them. Why could his son not have chosen another elf as a partner!  
  
For a few moments Thandruil pondered what he knew about Elrond's foster son, and realised that even though he had seen him regularly for over a decade, it was not all that much. And he and Legolas had always been extremely discrete, for many years Thandruil had never been quite sure whether they were good friends or lovers. Until, one day, he had gone on a late walk under the tree to relax after a very strenuous day when he saw Legolas and Estel standing under a huge old beech tree, holding each other and kissing with all the passion of the young. Thandruil had been shocked, he had suspected this relationship, but to see it confirmed was quite another matter.  
  
The next day he had taken Legolas to task about it. With hindsight, the king thought, this had been a mistake. After that, Legolas withdrew even more, and began to spend as much time away from Mirkwood as he was able to get off duty.  
  
Until, yes, until something happened before Legolas went to Imladris this time. But he was sure that whatever had happened between them, and perhaps it was only a silent acknowledgement that they still loved each other, was for the good. Legolas had written every few weeks throughout the winter, something he had not done in decades. After having read these letters, Thandruil realised and acknowledged just how important Estel was for Legolas.  
  
And then, standing on a small wooden bridge in the rapidly falling darkness, Thandruil had a flash of insight. 'I am doing to Legolas what others, amongst them Galadriel, did to me. I am objecting to his chosen partner ... I, of all people, should not be doing this. If Estel was not a mortal, I would not be so concerned... I do not wish to loose Legolas, he is my only son. But he loves Estel, perhaps that shouhd be enough for me ... perhaps I should let the future worry about itself. I do not wish to do to Legolas what was done too me."  
  
With a stab of hurt, the elven king remembered his last confrontation with Galadriel. It had been unpleasant, to say the least. Galadriel had visited the woodland realm and had also for the first time seen Legolas. The child was four years old and just beginning to walk. He had not yet lost his infant chubbiness, and with his light blonde hair and huge dark eyes he could charm a smile out of an orc. When Thandruil had proudly introduced Legolas, who hid himself in the formal robes of his father, and then hesitantly stepped forward, Galadriel had remained silent for a long time and then only said: "I can see he is of mixed heritage."  
  
Thandruil had found this comment immensely hurtful. The implicit disdain for his wife and child stung. Galadriel had not said anything else. After that, relationships, already strained, became coldly formal. Thandruil had not seen Galadriel since that time and was not looking forward to doing so. And yet he acknowledged the wisdom of Elrond's proposal.  
  
With a sigh, the king turned and went back to his palace. There was a journey to organise.  
  
- - - -  
  
Further west, Elrond was also getting ready for the upcoming meeting in Lothlorien. He was slightly anxious about seeing Arwen again, it had been a long time that they had not seen each other and there were many unspoken issues. But even so, he missed his daughter greatly and was looking forward to seeing her again. The elf-lord wondered what she would make of her grown foster brother. She would probably hardly recognise him, the last time she had seen him he had been a lanky, awkward youth of about thirteen mortal years. With a mental shock Elrond realised that it had been only two years after that last visit of Arwen in Imladris that Estel had met Legolas, and within a further two years they had become involved with each other.  
  
Even for a mortal, that had been too early. Estel would have his thirtieth birthday next year, for a ranger that was still very young, normally those of Numenorean blood were not considered to be of marriable age before their fiftieth birthday. But what was done was done, and Estel and Legolas seemed to be able to make their relationship last, for better or worse.  
  
Elrond admitted to himself that he had come to like Legolas greatly. The young prince had an intriguingly complex personality, and he was undoubtedly very attractive. But was Elrond appreciated most was Legolas' obvious devotion to Estel. Even though the sensible thing for both of them would be to pair up with female partners of their own people, Elrond could feel the deep affection between his foster son and Legolas. He wondered whether Thandruil's feelings towards this relationship had changed. Well, he would find out fairly soon.  
  
Elrond decided that it was time to inform everyone participating in the trip to Lorien that they would depart in two days' time.  
  
- - - - -  
  
In Lothlorien, Galadriel, too, was thinking about the suggested meeting. She agreed with her son-in-law that a meeting between the elven realms was overdue and necessary. But she did not look forward to meeting Thandruil again. Their parting many hundreds of years ago had been almost hostile. Galadriel to this day did not understand why Thandruil had to marry Eäradië. There was no reason for him not to have her as a lover, but marriages served a purpose, either as a tool for political alliances or to produce an heir of appropriate parentage for the future. Thandruil could have easily wed a more appropriate partner, had children with her and perhaps have Eäradië as a lover on the side. There would have been nothing unusual in that arrangement. But he had to marry her and have this child, Legolas, who was now the sole rightful heir of the Woodland Realm.  
  
Galadriel vividly remembered the fair-haired toddler with a shy smile and those dark eyes, so unusual in a Sindarin elf. He had been hiding in his father's robes, and yet had been curious enough to peek out occasionally. And finally, his curiosity got the better of his fear of strangers and he had approached her on unsteady feet, smiling at her, clearly anticipating to be caught and held. But she had not done so, and had watched as the child came to an unsteady halt and looked at her, suddenly loosing confidence. Those eyes! Huge, and of such a dark blue that they appeared almost black. She told Thandruil that his son's mixed heritage showed.  
  
With hindsight, she had realised that Thandruil must have found that comment and her lack of enthusiasm towards the child very hurtful.  
  
The Lady of Lorien sighed. She knew well that on occasion in her long life, she had made mistakes. And the way she had handled that encounter with Thandruil and Legolas had been one of them. Galadriel knew that that her objection to Thandruil's marriage and that last encounter had cost her the elven-king's friendship. Perhaps there would be a chance now to improve relationships again, although she did not truly expect this. She hoped that Thandruil would bring Legolas along, she was curious to meet the young elf, whom she had only seen once in his life at four years old.  
  
Galadriel had chosen her own daughter's husband, Elrond, very much with a political alliance in mind. She was well aware of the fact that Celebrian and Elrond had not been passionate lovers, but they respected each other and had three beautiful children. Somewhat to her surprise, neither had taken a lover during the marriage, and Elrond did not seem to have done so after Celebrian left to the Undying Lands, either. Although, according to Arwen, that had not been entirely his choice. Galadriel would not have blamed him if he had done so.  
  
Galadriel sighed. Many of her own people did not seen to understand how important it was for the elves in Middle Earth to retain leaders of true nobility. Mankind had abandoned this notion, and they were now without any leader. The only true remaining heir was Aragorn, Elrond's foster son. But he was had not yet decided whether he would take up the task of uniting the fragmented human nations. He was also involved with Legolas of Mirkwood, another unfortunate alliance. Immortal and mortal, and both heirs to kingdoms. Galadriel had looked into a mirror to see what they future might hold for these two, and had seen both of them married with children. This was one possibility, but often fates were altered and events did not come to pass. Only time would tell.  
  
TBC. **Please review.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Author's note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and a special thank you to those of you who pointed out the name mix-up. The chapter has been reposted, minus the Celeborn and Celebrian confusion and a range of typos - by mistake I posted an unedited version first time around!**

**- - - - -**

**Chapter 25 – To Make A Choice**

Elrond's party for Lothlorien was ready to leave. The twins, Estel, Legolas and Halbarad, who had joined then from further west, and Elrond himself were mounted and ready to go. If they were not delayed by severe weather, the journey would take about two weeks hard riding, or slightly longer at a more leisurely pace.  
  
The first few days were utterly uneventful, but the six travellers enjoyed the peacefulness of travelling through the springtime forests. The light formed dancing patterns in different shades of green and the air smelled of growth and new life. The birds sang and they saw many animals, small and large, going about their business. Elrond's party did not hunt, they had enough food and there was no need to disturb the animals and plants around them.  
  
On the fourth day, they were nearing the mountains and Elrond began to wonder whether the weather would hold. The wind had gone up and dark clouds gathered over the mountaintops. Elrond was not worried about some rain, but he did not relish the thought of getting caught in a blizzard. It was still early in the year and they were now nearing a region that was higher and more exposed. He looked at Elladan, who was riding next to him.  
  
"Elladan, I think we will be facing some snow. It would be difficult to find the passes in a snowstorm, and I really do not like the look of these clouds over there ..." The elf-lord indicated the direction with his head. "I think we should seek shelter before we go much further. There are some caves not much further on. I have not been in them for a very long time, they are part of a large cave system. All of us and the horses should be able to find shelter there."  
  
Elladan nodded. He, too, had noticed the gathering clouds in the east. He turned to their companions.  
  
"Father believes there will be snow soon, and I agree with him. We need to find shelter before this comes down. There are some caves nearby where we can wait this out."  
  
No one objected, and within the next hour they had reached the entrance of the cave system that Elrond had mentioned. Elrond surveyed their surroundings. There was something about this cave that did not feel quite right. He did not feel threatened, but there was some unease that he could not pinpoint. He looked at the others. No one seemed to think that anything was amiss. And yet, in the course of his long life, Elrond had learned not to ignore such premonitions.  
  
"Let us look around carefully here. Somehow something here does not feel quite right. Let us light a fire near the entrance and then we will explore this cave a bit further so that there will be no surprises."  
  
Everyone quickly gathered some wood and a small fire was lit which provided both light and warmth. The sky was now a threatening dark grey with a yellow tinge, the air temperature had dropped and the wind had gone up. It was clear that a storm bringing either snow or rain would start any minute.  
  
They pulled the horses as near to the entrance of the cave as they could, so that the walls and rock overhang provided some shelter for their steeds as well. Then the snow began to fall, slowly at first, but soon in great blowing sheets of white.  
  
Legolas took a burning branch out of the fire and, using it as a torch, was moving into the back of the cave. He found the entrance to this cave system fascinating, his father's palace was partially underground, utilising some natural caves.  
  
"Estel? Do you come with me to explore a bit?"  
  
The young man nodded. He also took a burning branch as a torch.  
  
"Do not venture too far into this system, you do not know what you will find,"warned Elrond. "Or what might find you."  
  
"We will be careful, father."  
  
And they were. They did not venture far, and they were careful. But it happened anyway.  
  
All of a sudden, there was a crash and a scream. Silence.  
  
"Legolas? Legolas! Legolas!!" There was a frantic edge to Estel's voice. They had not gone far, so the others heard him and came rushing up.  
  
Elrond took Estel's torch and moved carefully forward. Suddenly he came to a gaping hole in the floor. Quickly, Elrond pushed back everyone else. He stood still and then carefully knelt down.  
  
"The floor here is not stable. Stay back. This area must have collapsed when Legolas stepped on it."  
  
"Legolas? Can you hear me?"  
  
They could all hear a soft moan. "Legolas? Can you answer?"  
  
"Elrond?" Legolas' voice was faint.  
  
"Yes, it is me. Are you hurt?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Legolas? Are you injured?"  
  
"Yes. I think I have broken my right leg, perhaps my right arm as well. My ribs on that side are either very bruised or broken. I fell very hard on some hard rocks." It was difficult to hear the young elf's voice.  
  
Elrond winced inwardly at this reply. This was serious, Legolas would not be able to climb up himself with these injuries.  
  
"Legolas!" Estel had rushed forward and was now kneeling next to Elrond. Some loose stones shifted.  
  
"Estel, get back. It is dangerous enough for one of us. You cannot help him at the moment. You could get me some rope. I have no desire to follow Legolas down there, and I need to talk to him."  
  
Halbarad had already brought the length of rope they carried. They had not taken much rope, it was an extra item to carry and they had not really anticipated needing it. He passed it to Estel, who gave it to Elrond. Carefully, trying not to disturb the unstable floor further, Elrond tied the rope around his waist and passed the ends to Estel.  
  
"Hold me tight if I should fall."  
  
Estel nodded, and gave one of the rope ends to Elrohir. It would be safer to hold with two people.  
  
In the meantime, Elrond had leaned slightly forward and was trying to get some light into the hole that Legolas had fallen into. It appeared that the young elf had plunged through the ceiling of the tunnel below, and a considerable amount of rocks and stones had come down after him, effectively sealing him in the tunnel below.  
  
"Legolas? Can you see this light?  
  
"No, it is very dark in here." Legolas' voice was strained.  
  
Elrond's heart went out to the prince, to be trapped in an underground cave with serious injuries and no light would be a very unpleasant situation for anyone, but for an elf the lack of light exacerbated the situation.  
  
"Can you breath? Is there enough air?"  
  
"Yes, there is a small draft coming in here from somewhere below."  
  
"Father? Can we get him out?" Estel's voice sounded almost as anxious as Legolas'.  
  
"This entire area is unstable and we do not have enough rope and no tools to move these stones. Someone will have to ride back to Rivendell and get help and tools. Riding very hard, the journey can be done in two days and a night, and then the same again coming back here. I am afraid Legolas will have to wait a rather long time before we can get him out."  
  
The twins, Estel and Halbarad looked at each other. This was very bad news. Elladan said: "I will go, so that Estel can stay with Legolas."  
  
"I will come with you, you should not travel by yourself." Elrohir looked at his brother.  
  
"Thank you, both of you. Hurry back and have a safe journey." Estel's face showed the gratitude he felt for being able to stay here.  
  
"Legolas, are you able to hear what happens up here or when we talk?"  
  
"No, I can only hear you when you talk directly next to the shaft." Legolas' voice sounded tired and wheezy. Elrond wondered how long it would be before Legolas passed out. He must be in a lot of pain, and the relentless darkness must be unbearable for an elf.  
  
"Elladan and Elrohir have left for Rivendell to get help and tools. This will take time, they can hardly be back here earlier than four or five days. You must hang on for so long, we will get you out there."  
  
- - - - -  
  
When Legolas fell, his only thought was 'Oh, no!'. He heard himself screaming and then crashed hard sideways onto something hard. There was a huge amount of noise, rocks and stone sliding and shifting, and then it was dark. Utterly, and completely dark. And his entire right side felt as if it had been smashed. Leg, arm and ribs. The pain was bad but the darkness was worse.  
  
Then he heard his name being called and an incredible relief flooded through him. He answered. His relief was short-lived when he realised that his companions would not be able to get him out easily. When Elrond explained to him that Elladan and Elrohir had ridden to Rivendell for help, and his rescue would take at least four, if not five days, he was shocked. Possibly five days in the dark, without any light either by the sun or the stars, surrounded and trapped by lifeless rock! All of a sudden, Legolas felt as if he was suffocating. He could not breathe, his heart pumped away widely, and the pain of his injuries increased, if that was possible.  
  
"Elrond? Are you still there?" There was much anxiety in Legolas' voice.  
  
Elrond sighed. Elves were not made to live in the dark. The next days would be very difficult for Legolas.  
  
"Yes, Legolas. Someone will be here all the time. Just call when you need to talk. Would you like me to sing for you?"  
  
Despite his pain and anxiety, Legolas almost smiled at this suggestion. But he was also very grateful. To hear Elrond's or, for that matter, anyone's voice, at this point in time would be very reassuring.  
  
So the elf-lord sang until his voice got hoarse, ballads, love songs and simple tunes. Legolas found his voice soothing and after a while his exhausted body and mind gave in to sleep.  
  
Elrond, too, was tired. He decided that it would be a good time to trade places with Estel, and get some rest himself. Bar keeping Legolas company, there was little they could do.  
  
He carefully moved back and untied the rope. "Estel, it is your turn."  
  
The young man nodded and tied the rope around his body. Then he carefully made his way to the spot where Legolas had fallen.  
  
He called out. "Legolas?"  
  
No response.  
  
Elrond heard him. "Estel, he has probably either passed out or fallen asleep. Leave him, he will call when he wakes up."  
  
Estel sat near the gaping hole filled with rubble and slowly began to doze off.  
  
A few hours later, Legolas woke up. At first he did not know where he was. He knew his eyes were open but it was dark, very dark, too dark even for his elven eyes to see anything at all. His right arm, leg and side hurt immensely. The young elf felt completely disorientated.  
  
And then he remembered what had happened. He also realised that he had done very little to explore the tunnel or shaft where he was trapped. He was laying on his good side, both his injured arm and leg pulled up against his body. The young elf tried to straighten his leg but the pain was excruciating. After he had recovered his breath, he tried to sit up, but his ribs, arm and leg protested so much that he gave up very quickly.  
  
The dark was relentless. Legolas had lost all sense of time. Then he remembered that Elrond had said someone would be there for him all the time.  
  
"Elrond?" Legolas did not realise how faint his voice was.  
  
Estel was sound asleep, and did not hear the Legolas' calls.  
  
Legolas felt the darkness closing in on him. They had gone! They had left him! Somewhere a rational part of his mind told him that the others and especially Estel would never leave him, but he could not help the feeling of utter panic that took hold of him. With his left hand he touched the walls of his prison. He was well and truly stuck, he would not get out.  
  
He called again, this time as loud as he could, not caring that his shouts sounded frantic.  
  
Estel woke up with a start. He immediately heard the anxiety in Legolas' voice and berated himself for falling asleep.  
  
"Legolas, I am here. It is me, Estel. I am here. We would never leave you."  
  
"Estel?" The relief in Legolas' voice was audible.  
  
"Yes, I am here. I am sorry I did not hear you earlier. You must have been asleep or passed out, and I fell asleep as well here. I am so sorry, Legolas, I let you down."  
  
"Estel, you cannot imagine how glad I am to hear your voice. It is so dark in here. I feel as if this darkness is swallowing my life. How long have I been in here?"  
  
"About 12 hours."  
  
"Only? It feels much longer, or rather, I cannot tell at all how long it feels."  
  
- - - -  
  
The hours and days passed. Elrond, Estel and Halbarad diligently sat next to the hole and talked to Legolas. But as time passed, his responses grew shorter and weaker. At first, Legolas continued to be in much pain, since his body had not begun its normal healing processes. The lack of light affected an elf badly, and Legolas began to suffer much from the darkness. He felt disorientated and suffocated, but the voices from above gave him support. They were a lifeline for him that kept darkness and panic at bay.  
  
But by the third day, Legolas had begun to feel very strange. He did not feel the pain of his injuries so much any longer, instead there was a floating feeling, and it appeared to him that a soft melodious voice was calling him to walk towards a white light. Somehow he knew that behind that light there would be the Halls of Mandos waiting, and he was not afraid. The voice promised beauty and peace, freedom from pain. Legolas decided that he would ignore the faint voices from above and follow the musical voice calling him. At this point he stopped responding to the calls from above.  
  
Elrond was concerned. It had been his turn for the last few hours to watch over Legolas, and he had had no response. 'He is slipping away,' thought the elf-lord. 'The darkness and his injuries are draining his life away. He needs light and air. If Elladan and Elrohir do not come back soon, it will be too late.'  
  
Elrond did not share these thoughts with his two companions and also did not wake Estel for his turn, the longer he slept, the less he would worry about Legolas. There was nothing any of them could do bar wait for the return of the twins.  
  
Elrond stayed up throughout the night. Estel was annoyed that his father had not woken him, but at the same time relieved. He had been very tired, emotionally exhausted by worrying about Legolas. Elrond had given him a sleeping draught, and Estel had gratefully taken it.  
  
If Elladan and Elrohir had had no misfortunes, they should arrive at some point during this day. There had been no response from Legolas for over a day. Elrond was very concerned. Elves needed the light of the sun and stars to live, and Legolas had been deprived of this for days, enclosed in absolute darkness. The elf-lord hoped that it was not already too late.  
  
By mid-afternoon, Elrond heard voices. He stepped outside the cave and there were the twins, and two Rivendell warriors with ropes, spades, shovels and a variety of other tools.  
  
Elrond sighed with relief. Elladan and Elrohir looked exhausted. To be back after four days they must have ridden without breaks.  
  
"Elladan, Elrohir, get some food and rest. Halbarad, Estel, lest us see if we can get Legolas out."  
  
The two humans, the elf-lord and the two warriors joined themselves together with rope and then slowly Estel and Halbarad descended into the hole that Legolas had fallen into. The other three secured the ropes and held torches so that some light fell down into the shaft. Carefully, trying not to disturb more of the cave, Halbarad and Estel removed the rubble and stones that were locking Legolas in. With the tools they now had and secured by ropes, they were faster than anyone had anticipated. It only took about an hour until they had worked through the rubble and they could see Legolas. Estel rushed up to him.  
  
"Legolas! We have made it! Wake up! Legolas!" Estel wanted to shake Legolas but stopped to look at the elf first. He was very pale, his eyes closed. His right arm and leg were pulled up against himself but at unnatural angles. It was easy to see that they were broken.  
  
"Estel, have you got him?" Elrond shouted.  
  
"Yes, but ... he does not react to anything." Estel's voice was edged with concern.  
  
"Bring him up. He needs to be in the light more than anything else."  
  
Unseen by Elrond, Estel nodded. Together with Halbarad he secured some of the rope underneath Legolas arms, and then lifted the elf. He had lifted Legolas before and every time he was surprised how light he was. Slowly they half climbed, and were half pulled up the steep walls of the shaft they were in.  
  
'Perhaps it is merciful that he is still unconscious,' thought Estel on the way up. 'This would be very painful otherwise.'  
  
Once they arrived at the surface, they made their way out of the caves. In front of the cave entrance was a grassy area that was currently flooded by the late afternoon sun.  
  
"Take Legolas' clothes off," Elrond commanded. "He needs to be exposed to as much sunlight as possible. His body will soak it up. I hope it is not yet too late. Put something over his eyes, after being in the dark for so long, the sun would hurt him."  
  
Estel simply cut Legolas' soiled and dirty clothing of him, mindful of the injuries, and laid a strip of cloth over the elf's eyes. Then Elrond mentioned all of them to go away. Estel shook his head. "I want to stay." Their eyes looked and Elrond nodded. "You can help me."  
  
The first thing that Elrond checked was Legolas breathing. It was there, shallow and uneven but there nevertheless. Next, the pulse. Again, it was perceptible but weak and erratic. Elrond frowned. This was not looking too good.  
  
The elf-lord rummaged in his herb bag. "Athelas," he said, retrieving a small pouch of strong smelling leaves and flowers. "We will use this to call him back to wherever he has withdrawn."  
  
"What about his injuries?" Estel asked. The sight of the twisted limbs disturbed him greatly.  
  
"They are of secondary importance. If Legolas withdraws further, we will not be able to call him back. We must hurry."  
  
"Please heat some water and put some of this inside."  
  
Whilst Estel was doing as his father asked, Elrond continued to examine the younger elf. The right arm and leg were undoubtedly broken, as well as two ribs. None of the fractures had begun to heal, a very bad sign in an elf, but in this case a blessing since any healing would have meant to rebreak and set the limbs.  
  
Elrond was more concerned about Legolas than he had let Estel know. Legolas' complete unresponsiveness, even now that he had been laying in the full sun for some time greatly concerned Elrond. The prince had withdrawn, to call him back would not be easy. And Elrond could tell that there was not much time left, soon the shallow, uneven breathing would cease and Legolas would simply drift away.  
  
TBC. **Please review**


	26. Chapter 26

**Author's note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, particularly those of you who took the time and trouble to write long reviews, or who have emailed me. It seems that in some way or other I have managed to provide enjoyable reading for a very wide range of people with very differing opinions on m/m relationships without either offending or loosing the romantic element. I hope I can continue to maintain that balance – if I don't, let me know!  
  
- - - - -  
  
Chapter 26 – To Make A Choice  
**  
Elrond looked at the still form of Legolas in front of him. The young elf's face was peaceful and his breathing was very shallow. He was slipping, and slipping fast. Elrond sighed. Legolas had been in complete darkness for too long, injured and without sustenance. His life force had been drained almost to the point of extinction. The elf-lord did not know whether it was not already too late.  
  
"Estel! Is that water warm yet?" Elrond's voice conveyed the sense of urgency that he felt.  
  
"Yes, Ada." Estel brought a kettle with heated water. He sprinkled the athelas that Elrond had given him into it. Immediately the distinct smell of the healing plant enveloped them.  
  
"Estel, you are closest to him. Call him. Call him back."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Just try it. You have the healing powers of the Kings, but you have not yet used them. Just call him. Tell him you love him, and to come back to you."  
  
- - - -  
  
Legolas was walking along a path through a green forest. The light played on the new leaves and he could hear the sounds of small forest animals and birds. He was at peace. There as no pain, no worries. At the end of the path was a blinding white light, and he knew that behind that light his mother waited, whom he had not seen in such a long time. As he was nearing the light, his certainty grew that she was waiting for him. He began to run.  
  
All of a sudden there was another sound, intrusive. Someone called him, faintly. He could hardly make out the words.  
  
"Legolas, Legolas Greenleaf, come back to us. Legolas, I love you, come back to me!"  
  
Estel was desperate. He knew that Legolas was barely alive, his pulse, heartbeat and breathing were scarcely perceptible.  
  
Legolas ignored the faint call. He had almost reached the white light. He stretched out his hand to touch it, when the first voice called again, this time stronger, and was joined by a second, more authorative voice.  
  
"Legolas Greenleaf, come back. Your time has not yet come. You are still needed here. Come back to the World of the Living."  
  
Elrond was kneeling beside Estel and had taken both Estel's and Legolas' hands. He held them together in his own and then used all his authority as a healer, as elf-lord and the bearer of Vilya to call the elven prince back.  
  
Legolas stopped. He could not ignore this voice. He did not want to return, he wanted to go forward and meet his mother. Slowly he turned around, and the moment he faced away from the light, he heard the second voice much clearer. Estel! Legolas also perceived the anxiety, worry and love in the young man's voice. 'I cannot do this to him. I must return.' So he slowly began to walk back the path he had come. With every step his body became heavier, and at some point he began to feel pain. This intensified and localised on the right side of his body.  
  
"Estel, his breathing and heartbeat are speeding up. I think he is coming around." Elrond briefly looked at his foster son, but still keeping his focus on Legolas.  
  
With a slight moan, Legolas opened his eyes, and looked into Estel's face, and next to him, Elrond. Both looked immensely relieved.  
  
"Estel?" Legolas whispered.  
  
"I am here." For the rest of his life, Legolas never forgot Estel's expression at this moment. His face showed a mixture of relief, anxiety and a depth of love that shocked Legolas. He had always known that Estel cared for him deeply, but to see this so openly displayed, undisguised, was rare. Slowly a smile spread over Estel's features, beginning in his eyes and then tugging at the corners of his mouth. The young man bent forward and gently kissed Legolas on the mouth.  
  
"Welcome back."  
  
Legolas tried to move his head slightly, so that he could look at Elrond.  
  
"I am thirsty..." Legolas voice was very faint.  
  
"You would be. You have not had anything to eat or drink for almost five days."  
  
"Estel, give him some of the water with the athelas in it. It will be good for him."  
  
Legolas was increasingly becoming aware of the pain in his right arm, leg and side. Involuntarily, he groaned slightly when Estel gently lifted his head to allow him to drink. The water was warm and tasted strongly of herbs. The elf could feel its healing qualities spread through his body.  
  
"Estel?" Legolas voice was slightly less rough after his drink."It was beautiful ... I did not want to come back..." he briefly closed his eyes, remembering the place he had just been to.  
  
It was not Estel who spoke next. "Legolas, your time to part from this world has not yet arrived. You still have much to do here." Elrond, too, was smiling, a rare event for the often stern-faced elf-lord.  
  
Then Elrond turned to Estel. "Now that Legolas is back with us, it is time to see to his other needs. He needs a wash and then we will set his arm and leg, and wrap his ribs. And the others need to be told that he has woken up and will be well."  
  
Facing Legolas again, he said: "Do you think you could eat some lembas? It would give you some extra strength."  
  
"I do not know. I have not thought about eating in what seems to be a long time. Elrond, in the cave, it was so dark... I could not breathe, I was suffocating..." A reflection of the fear he had experienced was reflected in Legolas' eyes.  
  
"You are here now. With us." Estel gently cupped Legolas face, trying to reassure him. Then he took a piece of cloth and dampened it with the remainder of the athelas water. Estel tried to wash away as much of the dirt and darkness, anxiety and fear as he could. When he ran the cloth gently over Legolas' right side, the elf hissed with pain.  
  
Elrond noticed that and said: "As soon as you are clean, we see to the bandages. That should deal with some of the pain and discomfort. You should be able to ride again in a few days, although you will not be fully healed then.  
  
Estel carefully washed Legolas and then, together with Elrond, set his arm and leg and bound them with tight bandages. He then took one of his own shirts and pair of leggings, and carefully helped Legolas into the garments. The extra size accommodated the bandages well.  
  
In the meantime, Elrond had told the others the good news, and everyone came to see the prince. Elladan in particular was relieved beyond measure. He truly liked the Mirkwood elf, he had not wanted to loose this friend.  
  
"I would like to sit up." Legolas struggled to reach a sitting position.  
  
"No, Legolas, not yet. Or, if you must, lean against Estel so that your body does not have to support its own weight."  
  
Estel moved so that he sat behind Legolas with his legs apart. Very gently he pulled Legolas up towards himself, so that the elf rested with his body against his chest and his head against the crook of his neck. The young man was almost overwhelmed by the intensity of feeling that this proximity caused. Legolas' smell, the feel of his hair against his neck and the fact that he was alive, all of a sudden Estel wanted to cry with relief and it took all his concentration not to let the tears spill over. The young man hoped that no one had noticed his weakness.  
  
Elrond asked Elrohir to get some lembas bread, and dunking this into the remainder of the soup they had had for lunch, Elrohir slowly fed Legolas the softened pieces of bread. Legolas' throat was raw from lack of water for so long, but he managed to swallow when he took small bites and drank a lot of water as well. After a few bites, the young elf's eyes closed and he sagged back against Estel.  
  
"Father?" Estel's voice was tight with worry.  
  
"He is just sleeping. He needs this rest badly. Come, I'll lift him off you so that you can move."  
  
"No! Let me hold him. I ... need this now." There was pleading in Estel's voice and eyes.  
  
Elrond just nodded. Turning to the twins, he said: "Let us give them a bit of undisturbed time."  
  
"Estel, if this gets too uncomfortable, let me know and I will help you to move Legolas."  
  
Elrond thought, but did not say, that the emotionally drained young human needed the rest almost as badly as his elven partner. But he also knew that at this point in time, any suggestion to rest would be rejected. Elrond and the twins returned to Halbarad and the two Rivendell warriors, and they all had a quiet but happy meal together.  
  
After their food, Elrond went to check on Estel and Legolas. What he found did not surprise him in the least. Estel's head had fallen forward, and he was fast asleep, with his face buried in Legolas' hair. His position looked excruciatingly uncomfortable, and Elrond quietly called Elladan to help him hold Legolas whilst pushing Estel down into a laying position. They then laid Legolas next to him. Neither man nor elf woke up.  
  
- - - -  
  
The next day, Elrond decided that they had to continue their journey. Legolas insisted on riding by himself but Elrond looked at him sternly.  
  
"You cannot ride with a broken leg and arm. You will sit sideways in front of Estel, and we will have frequent breaks."  
  
Legolas opened his mouth to raise his objections, but Elrond did not even let him speak.  
  
"Legolas, I do not want to see you straining your healing wounds. I would prefer that we meet your father after you are more or less healed, not before. But this means you must help the healing process, not hinder it by putting undue strain on your injuries."  
  
With a sigh, Legolas nodded. He, too, did not want to meet his father injured.  
  
When everyone was ready, Elrond carefully lifted Legolas in front of Estel. The young man held his partner with one arm and the reigns with the other hand.  
  
After a few miles it became apparent how wise Elrond's insistence had been. Even being supported by Estel and not having to part his legs for the normal riding position, he was soon in considerable pain. He closed his eyes to concentrate on other things and very quickly dropped to sleep against Estel's shoulder.  
  
They rode on.  
  
- - - - -  
  
Three days later. They were now in the mountains. During the next two days they would cross the High Pass, then ride towards the Anduin river and follow this south for another week until they arrived in Lothlorien.  
  
Legolas was much better. Estel had cared for him with the same devotion that the elf had shown towards Estel when the young man had been ill. Much to his annoyance, Legolas had spent the last three days riding in front of Estel, Elrond had not allowed him to ride in normal fashion. But he was healing fast. Once exposed to sun- and starlight, being able to eat and drink normally, his natural resilience and healing abilities were doing their work. His ribs still hurt and so did his arm, which had been broken in two places. But his leg hardly bothered him anymore, and Elrond had promised him that in another few days time he would be able to ride by himself again.  
  
He had also asked Elrond whether his arm would heal completely. As an archer he was very concerned that the use of his arm might be limited or full strength would not return. But Elrond had assured him that once the bone had healed completely, there should be no lasting effects.  
  
So everything seemed to be on the mend. But at night Estel noticed that Legolas often did not rest. He would lay with open eyes, gazing at the stars. Finally, Estel approached the topic one night, when yet again Legolas was not sleeping. He turned so that he faced Legolas.  
  
"Legolas, why are you not resting? You need the sleep to heal and yet you deny yourself rest night after night."  
  
"I cannot sleep. It is nothing. I can go without sleep for much longer."  
  
Estel sighed with exasperation. "Yes, normally you can. But at the moment your body needs the strength that sleep provides. Why are you not sleeping?"  
  
Legolas' eyes would not meet Estel's. "It is the dreams. Every time I try to rest I feel the darkness again. Estel, I was suffocating, it was so dark, no space, no space to breathe..." There was a hint of panic in the young elf's voice.  
  
"Legolas, you are here now, under the stars. It is over, you are not in the darkness any more." Then after a brief hesitation, "Would you sleep if I held you?" As they were travelling with others, they had not shared their bedding. Both felt that this would be inappropriate, particularly when travelling with Estel's father. "I'll explain to Ada in the morning. Come here." Much to Estel's surprise, Legolas complied and moved closer.  
  
'He must be exhausted to give in this quickly," thought Estel concerned. Once Legolas had settled against Estel, he tried to relax in the intimacy and comfort. Slowly he drifted off into much needed sleep, but Estel remained awake, thinking about Legolas, himself and their future.  
  
Legolas awoke in Estel's arms next morning. He had actually slept, and had slept well and dreamless. He was grateful for this, and thanked Estel.  
  
Estel just smiled and said gently: "I love you. Legolas Greenleaf. I would do anything for you, and holding you is not a chore."  
  
Later that morning, Estel sought an opportunity to talk to Elrond. It came when they were packing up. Estel took his father to one side and told him what Legolas had said and how they had solved the issue last night.  
  
Elrond looked concerned. "Estel, an ordeal like this does not only cause physical injuries. Legolas has been injured emotionally as well, and such damage is more difficult to heal than physical wounds. Legolas will overcome this in time, he is young and strong. If holding him at night helps him to rest, provide that comfort for him. I will talk to the others."  
  
Estel looked at his father gratefully. "Thank you. What would I give to make Legolas completely well again!"  
  
"I know, Estel, I know. I know how much you love him. I would be a poor father if I did not know how much the two of you care for each other." Elrond smiled. For a moment, he laid his hand on his foster son's arm.  
  
"Go to Legolas and help him to get ready."  
  
"Yes, Father." Estel smiled. "Thank you for everything." He briefly squeezed his father's hand.  
  
True to his promise, Elrond had a quiet word with everyone else in the party, so that Estel and Legolas were spared odd glances when they shared their bedding. And for Legolas, the comfort of Estel's arms and body kept the fears and dreams at bay, and allowed his healing body the rest it needed.  
  
**TBC. Please review.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Author's note: Thanks to my faithful reviewers, some of you have kept me company all the way along. I really appreciate this.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter.  
  
- - - - -  
  
Chapter 27 – To Make A Choice  
**  
King Thandruil was slightly annoyed. His departure to Lothlorien had been delayed by more than a week because a delegation of men from Laketown had arrived to negotiate various trade agreements and hunting rights. Finally everything was agreed and signed, and the men had left that morning.  
  
Thandruil had decided that he would take an escort of ten warriors. The King of Lasgalen could not afford to ride with a smaller group, it was too risky, particularly when having to ride along the old forest road before turning south and following the river to Lorien. Thandruil had no doubt that Elrond had already arrived.  
  
Thandruil turned to the warriors who had volunteered to accompany him. "We leave early in the morning and ride hard. I have been delayed for too long already." There was a murmur of agreement, and Thandruil began on the tedious task of ensuring that his advisors had all the signatures and paperwork they would need in the next few weeks.  
  
Later that day, he put together his travelling pack. Thandruil decided against taking many of his court clothes and robes. Two sets of formal robes would have to be enough – they could not burden themselves with too much nonessential luggage. Whilst he was assembling his pack, Thandruil realised with a shock that it had been decades, if not centuries, that he had left his own realm.  
  
He sighed. When he was a much younger elf, he had enjoyed exploring the lands around the Woodland Realm. His father, Oropher, had allowed him to do as much exploring as he wished to do, as long as he did not travel alone. As he looked at his wardrobe, he realised that there was little now that was suitable for a longer journey by horseback. For a moment he wondered if any of Legolas' clothing would fit him, his son had always dressed for the wood rather than court.  
  
Suddenly a vivid image of Legolas came to his mind. It had been a clear, sunny day in spring one year when Legolas and Estel had gone on a ride. Both were riding bareback, and had obviously raced their horses when they arrived back at the courtyard. They were teasing each other, and Legolas turned to Estel, saying something that Thandruil did not catch. His son's light hair shone pale gold in the sun, and his eyes sparkled with such happiness that Thandruil's heart clenched. The moment only lasted a flash second, but it was engraved in Thandruil's memory for ever after.  
  
Recently this image of Legolas would come to him often when he thought of his son. Thandruil wondered why he had not thought of this moment many more times in the past, that day in spring some years ago. The king realised that he missed his son much more than he wanted to admit to himself or others.  
  
- - - -  
  
Elrond and his party had crossed the mountains and were nearing the Anduin river. Elrond looked at the riders before him. Immediately in front of him rode Estel with Legolas at his side. The day before, the young elf had been permitted to ride his own horse again, much to his relief. Elrond had queried him hard in the evening about any pains and aches in his leg, but apart from some minor muscle stiffness there had been no further effects of the injuries.  
  
Elrond had insisted that Legolas kept his arm in a sling, since the double fracture took somewhat longer to heal. Equally, he still wore tight bandages around his ribs, more protection now than support. But otherwise, the young elf had bounced back with surprising speed. He also slept better, and Elrond expected that by the time they arrived in Lothlorien, he would be fully healed, at least physically. The elf-lord also had no doubt that Legolas would always have a deep dislike of underground places. But usually elves did not venture much in such places, so this was not likely to cause any problems in the future.  
  
Estel was riding next to Legolas, looking healthy, relaxed and happy. His hair had grown out enough again to be braided in a single, albeit fairly short, plaid in the back, a style that Estel had always liked.  
  
Halbarad, too, looked much better than at his arrival in Imladris. Caring for Estel on the road had been hard for him, too, and it had taken him some time let go of the responsibility that he felt towards the younger man. But he, too, had relaxed in Imladris, and Elrond had noticed with pleasure that the ranger truly cared for Estel. At least he knew that his son would have one friend when he returned to the rangers.  
  
The twins were riding next to each other, occasionally quietly talking. Elrond wondered how they felt about seeing their sister again; it had been a long time since they all had been together as a family.  
  
- - - -  
  
In Lothlorien, Arwen Undomiel and her grandparents shared a simple mid-day meal. Celeborn decided to bring up a topic that needed discussing, but had been avoided a long time.  
  
"Arwen, how do you feel about your father and brothers coming here?"  
  
Arwen looked at her grandfather thoughtfully. She had asked herself the same question many times. She had not been in Imladris for about fifteen years, and she knew that her father missed her. But she could not forget how he had looked at the Dunedain woman, Estel's mother. Arwen appreciated the other woman's beauty, for a human female she was very attractive, almost elven in looks, with a tall willowy body, grey eyes and dark hair. But Arwen could not understand how her father could betray her mother.  
  
With her mind she knew that her parents' marriage had not been a love match, her grandmother had made no pretences about this, but in her heart she felt that her father should not betray her mother by desiring another, even though Celebrian had left to the Undying Land quite some time ago. This was an unresolved conflict for Arwen and the reason why she had not returned to Imladris.  
  
Arwen lifted her eyes from her food. "In all truth, I do not know. I am looking forward to seeing Elladan and Elrohir, and young Estel. I wonder what he looks like now? ... My father, I just don't know. I know he has missed me from his letters but I still feel what he did was so very wrong."  
  
Celeborn looked at his granddaughter. "And what exactly has he done that is so unforgivable? I know of course why you came here, and what you accuse him of doing. But has it not occurred to you that your father must be very lonely at times and probably has some other needs too that he would like to satisfy..."  
  
Arwen looked at him with a look of utter shock. She had never thought of her father in those terms, he was her father after all.  
  
Celeborn continued. "You have had a long time, Arwen, to come to terms with your mother's departure. Try to understand your father a bit better. He loves you, you are hurting him deeply by refusing to see him."  
  
Galadriel laid one long, elegant hand on her husband's arm. "Do not be too harsh to her, Elrond was ill advised to take the mortal woman and her child in. They should have stayed amongst their own. Raising a child apart from his own kind can only lead to grief."  
  
"Galadriel, they are his kin. You would not have left any of our own defenceless and alone."  
  
Galadriel sighed. This was, of course, true. She turned to Arwen. "Arwen, with your father and brothers young Legolas Greenleaf from Mirkwood will arrive. I have thought about this much. You still have not found a partner, he would be more than appropriate in rank and I have been told that he is very attractive. You should think about this, there are not many young elves left here and even fewer of them can you consider as mates."  
  
Galadriel decided not too mention Legolas' relationship with Estel. Arwen was beautiful, it should not be too difficult for her to catch Legolas' attention.  
  
"Bar his name and the fact that he is Thandruil's son, I know hardly anything about him. How could I think about him as a possible partner? Arwen's expression was incredulous.  
  
"Arwen, both Celeborn and I have told you this before. Marriage is finding a suitable partner. If you are fortunate, you will love your partner or learn to love them, but often you will simply find companionship and mutual respect. Your parents' marriage was of this kind, and both of your parents acknowledged this. Sometimes people in this situation have another companion whom they love, someone who may not be suitable as an official mate. I have always been surprised that neither of your parents chose this option, they both yearned for it, and the other would have given them the space to find that happiness."  
  
"Your father was never untrue to your mother, only after she had left he let his eyes and heart stray. But even then he did not act on his desire. And you are still rejecting him for this. It is time that this stops. I love you dearly, granddaughter, but fifteen years running away from the truth is enough."  
  
"Accepting your parent's marriage for what it was will also give yourself more options. Think about a union with Legolas, in all regards he is a good match for you."  
  
Arwen was too surprised to really answer her grandmother. She had not expected to be presented with a possible candidate for marriage this lunchtime. She tried to remember what little she knew about Thandruil's son. She knew that he was younger than her, but probably past his majority, if Galadriel suggested a possible marriage. She had heard rumours that he was an outstanding archer, and he was supposed to be as beautiful and cold as ice. She had never heard of any dalliances or affairs involving the Prince of Mirkwood, which in itself was unusual. It would certainly be interesting to meet him.  
  
- - - -  
  
A few days later.  
  
Elrond's party had reached the Lorien borders. They had been spotted a long time ago, and the border guards awaited them just inside the trees. Their leader introduced himself as Haldir, marchwarden of Lorien. Estel was struck by how similar the Lorien elves looked to Legolas. Of course, he had seen elves from Lorien before, as messengers or at various functions. But as a group, they looked completely different from the elves in Rivendell or the wood-elves in Mirkwood. All of them had silvery blonde hair and grey or blue-grey eyes, and were clad in clothes of grey which melted into the trees.  
  
Elrond introduced each member of his party to the Lorien guards. Haldir, tall and slender, with a beautiful, slightly arrogant face, acknowledged each name with a small bow, but paused when it came to Legolas. The two elves looked at each other, their eyes locked for a brief moment, and something passed between them. Then the introductions continued.  
  
Only Elrond saw that brief instant, and he recognised it for what it was. He had seen it before, more than once. Elrond sighed deeply. They had only just arrived in Lothlorien and the complications had already begun.  
  
**TBC. Please review.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28 – To Make A Choice**

Haldir led Elrond's group of travellers at a fast pace through the woods. Elrond thought that it was just as well that the horses more or less followed the track by themselves sicne Legolas would have undoubtedly fallen of his mount if he had had to concentrate on steering his horse.

The young archer was so fascinated by his surroundings that he paid only scant attention to where his horse was going. It was the time of the year when the mallorn trees shed their golden leaves and grew their new green- silvery leaves. The ground was covered in a soft golden carpet and the air was filled with a constant flickering and whirling of golden flecks all around them.

Guided by Haldir, they arrived in an area of particularly large mallorn trees. "We will stay the night here," the marchwarden announced. With effortless ease, he swung himself up into the trees. The others tethered their horse and followed, Legolas, Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir as well as the two Rivendell warriors had no trouble climbing into the tree. Estel was almost as agile as an elf and was up in the trees in an instant, it was only Halbarad for whom getting up was an effort. Once in the branches, he, too, felt comfortable. Haldir took them up to considerable height in an enormous ancient mallorn tree. They reached a flet that obviously often served as shelter for travellers since there was both food and blankets available. Haldir laid out a simple meal, and then continued to rummage in of the boxes that contained the provisions. He turned with a smile.

"And this is for our most honoured guests." He held up two bottles of wine. After that, conversation flowed. Elrond told Haldir much of what happened further west, and the marchwarden talked about some of the things that had happened this side of the Misty Mountains. Legolas could add more of the events further north. So they kept talking until the light faded and Haldir lit a small lantern. Its light was small enough not to be seen on the ground below. Finally everyone bar Haldir went to sleep, the Lorien elf stayed up as a guard. Even here in Lothlorien, the elves found it necessary not to sleep unguarded. Much had changed in the last years.

Haldir sat himself on the edge of the felt whilst the others slept. He always enjoyed night watches in the woods, he found the faint rustling of the mallorn leaves and the clear light of stars soothing. He sat in silence for quite a long time when he became aware some movement behind him. He turned and noticed that Legolas, the young prince from Mirkwood, was sleeping very fitfully. Instead of being relaxed in his sleep, his fists had clenched and his entire body had tensed, although he had not woken up. Clearly something bothered the young elf. He moaned quietly, and Haldir decided to wake him lest he woke up anyone else. The marchwarden got up and knelt next to Legolas. He touched the younger elf gently at the shoulder.

"Legolas, wake up." Haldir's voice was soft.

"Estel?" Legolas' eyes focused.

"No, it's me, Haldir. You were moaning and moving in your sleep and I thought it was better if I woke you before anyone else wakes up. What is wrong, Legolas?"

Legolas sat up. "It is nothing. Just a bad dream. Would you mind if I sat up with you for a little while?"

"Of course not." They moved to the edge of the felt and sat next to each other with their legs and feet dangling over the edge. They sat long in companionable silence, neither feeling the need to talk. Suddenly the night breeze picked up and blew Legolas' unbound hair in Haldir's face. Legolas quickly gathered the wayward strands.

With a rueful grin, Legolas said: "I am sorry, Haldir. I should have bound this when getting up."

Even whilst he spoke, Legolas' hands had begun to rebraid his hair. Haldir watched the younger elf and thought, 'I would give much to be the one to do this for him. He is beautiful." Haldir told himself off for these thoughts. He had only just met Legolas, and knew virtually nothing about him. And yet, when they greeted each other, there had been something there, Haldir was sure of it.

Unaware of the other's thoughts, Legolas smiled at Haldir when he was finished. "That is better."

They sat together for another long while until Legolas said: "Don't you want to get some rest, Haldir? I could take the watch, I do not mind."

"Thank you for the offer, Legolas, but this is my duty. You should get some more sleep."

Legolas nodded and slipped back under his blanket. He would have liked to curl up against Estel but this was definitely not appropriate at the moment. With a sigh, he tried to relax and finally he drifted back to sleep.

They carried on the next morning, Haldir in the lead. At midday, they arrived at a top of a hill. Haldir stopped, and pointed. "Caras Caladhon, home of Lord Celeborn and Galadriel, the heart of Elvendom on earth." The view was breathtaking – they were looking onto a high hill covered by tall mallorn trees. Between them they could see the outlines of an elven city in and on the trees.

They reached Caras Caladhon late in the afternoon. Haldir said: "I will leave you here. I have other duties to attend to. Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn will meet you now. I will see you tomorrow."

Another Lorien elf led the group of travellers up a winding staircase until they reached a large talan where they were told to wait. But they did not have to wait long, within moments of their arrival, the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien appeared. Everyone bar Elrond was struck by their ethereal beauty. They were bathed in white light and suddenly Elrond heard Galadriel's voice in his mind.

"Welcome, Elrond, husband of Celebrian. It has been too long that you have visited Lothlorien. May you find peace here." Elrond could feel Galadriel's mental smile and understanding. She knew that apart from the necessary strategic and political talks, Elrond wanted to see Arwen. She liked and respected Elrond, he was wise and compassionate, and had also been a good husband to her daughter. Perhaps they had not shared the love-bond that some married couples sometimes have but Elrond had been Celebrian's liked and respected companion and had given her three beautiful children. Galadriel hoped that Arwen would receive her father well.

Next, Galadriel turned her attention to Estel, who stood aside his foster father. He, too, heard a mental voice. "Welcome Aragorn, son of Arathorn." And then Estel felt himself being probed, tested perhaps even. Galadriel probed deep. She scanned Estel's memories of his growing up in Rivendell, his first encounters with men, the time with the rangers, many fond memories of the twins and Elrond. She perceived how Estel saw himself, an almost painful awareness of his shortcomings as a human, resignation to and fear of his heritage of Isildur's heir... but she saw also enormous strength and great healing abilities, both as yet largely untested. Galadriel also saw a deep and lasting commitment to Legolas, son of Thranduil. She saw their first meeting, the beginning of their relationship, physical attraction overlaid with deepening emotional commitment, the ups and downs of a long-term relationship. When she finished her mental scan, Galadriel almost sighed with relief. Elrond had raised the boy well, he had strength and yet humility. Even if he accepted his heritage fully, he would not be another Isildur.

The lady of Lorien now focused on Legolas. "Welcome, son of Thranduil. May you enjoy your first stay at Caras Caladhon." Legolas, too, felt himself being scanned mentally. He did not resist, he had known what to expect. Galadriel had been surprised to see the young elf Legolas had grown into. The chubby fair-haired toddler with his dark eyes and endearing smile had grown into a slender, graceful young elf with a fine-featured face. He still had these unusual eyes that contrasted with his blonde hair and light skin. Galadriel had to admit that Legolas Greenleaf was exceptionally beautiful.

She probed deeper. She found memories of a lonely childhood, a father who often grieved or did not make sufficient time for his growing son, many memories of being teased or otherwise mistreated by other young elves, very few of friends. There were no lovers in Legolas' adolescence. She saw Estel's and Legolas first meeting, their first attempt of physical experimentation, and their developing and maturing relationship She saw Legolas' love for Estel and his father, and the affection the young elf felt for Elrond and the twins. She was also amazed at the complexity of Legolas' personality. There was strength, great strength, and the finely honed skills of a warrior. But there was also insecurity and a tendency to withdraw. There was compassion and a fierce loyalty to family and friends, and much courage. He was not at all what she had expected from a prince and a son of Thranduil's.

Whilst she was still focusing on Legolas, Galadriel experienced a flash of foresight. This happened to her occasionally and she had learned over many millennia not to ignore these insights. She saw Arwen and Legolas, obviously in the middle of an argument, Arwen shouting and Legolas simply leaving the room. Another flash followed. Arwen was laying on a quilt- covered bed, face down, crying so hard that her shoulders shook. Then, Legolas. Sitting in a forest glade with his head on his knees, looking dejected. Another scene. Arwen holding out a dark-haired newborn infant to Legolas, but the young archer just looked at the baby sadly and walked away. 'Not his?' Galadriel briefly wondered. The scenes followed now in rapid succession. Galadriel did not often see strings of events in the future. In this case all the scenes had a common threat. Arwen and Legolas would be deeply unhappy being married, they would not find companionship but constant strife, which they would be unable to resolve.

Galadriel accepted with a mental sigh that before she had met Legolas, he appeared to be a suitable partner for her granddaughter, after having gained some insights into his personality, he was clearly not a good choice for Arwen. Galadriel cared for Arwen too much to condemn her to centuries of unhappiness – she would have a found a political match acceptable, but there had to be a chance at least for companionships and respect.

Galadriel's focus now shifted to Halbarad and the twins. All three she had met before, and she mentally welcomed them without any further deep probing. Then she said: "You must be weary from your travels. You will be shown your sleeping place and then we will have a meal. Elrond, Arwen has arrived also, I will take you to her."

Arwen awaited her father and brothers with trepidation. She had not seen her father in many years, and her brothers only infrequently. She was waiting on a small bench underneath her favourite tree. Her grandmother had asked her to wait there, she would bring Elrond to her.

She could see them coming, Galadriel talking to Elrond. Not surprisingly, her father did look unchanged. And suddenly Arwen realised how much she had missed her father. He was her _ada_, after all, and she had missed him. It also struck her that in a way she did not really care anymore whether Elrond had loved Gilraen or not, the mortal woman had died many years ago.

Arwen got up and walked towards her father and grandmother. Elrond saw her, and Arwen never forgot the expression on his normally stern face. There was hope, joy at seeing her and much uncertainty. Arwen rushed forward the last few steps separating them. Elrond opened his arms, and welcomed his daughter with a much-needed embrace. Neither noticed that Galadriel had quietly disappeared, leaving her granddaughter and son-in-law to spend some time together alone.

Later that day, Galadriel invited them to a private evening meal. A larger banquet would follow when Thranduil and his party arrived. They had sent a message and were expected in another two or three days' time.

It was on that occasion that Estel and Legolas met Arwen. When Galadriel introduced her, Legolas got up politely and gave the formal elven greeting. This gave Arwen a chance to appraise Legolas. 'He is very attractive,' she thought 'but so very young. I need to get to know him.'

Then she turned her attention to her young foster-brother. He, too, greeted her formally. She was stunned. The lanky, awkward boy had, with the swiftness of mortals, grown into a handsome young man with expressive grey eyes and dark curly hair. His movements were graceful and fluid, all youthful awkwardness gone. Arwen felt an immediate pull towards him, and, recognising the feeling, scolded herself.

'He is my foster-brother and mortal, I cannot feel attracted to him. I should focus on Legolas.' As most young elves, Arwen had experimented with some lovers when she was younger, but for many years she had not had a relationship. She did not like casual relationships and had not yet found a partner whom she liked well enough for a longer-term relationship.

During the evening meal, Arwen said little, using the opportunity to observe her three brothers, Legolas and her father. It had been such a long time that she had seen any of them, and she was curious about Legolas. After the formal part of the eyeing, the atmosphere relaxed, and stories flowed. Arwen noticed that Estel and Legolas were sitting quite close together but they were not touching so she dismissed the observation. She also noticed that Legolas looked tired, more so than she would have expected in a young elf. Elrond noticed also, and as an explanation told Arwen, Galadriel and Celeborn what had happened on the way.

Galadriel had caught glimpses of the events when she had mentally scanned people, but it was only now that she fully realised what had happened. Legolas had shown amazing resilience to have survived this ordeal. She looked at him with respect. "Legolas, you must be very tired. Arwen will show you where you will sleep."

Estel looked questiongly at Elrond, who very slightly shook his head. Sleeping arrangements were definitely the host's business.

Legolas protested, but after a firm word from Elrond, he followed Arwen. The elf-maid looked at her companion. "Legolas, I hope you will like it here in Lothlorien. I have been happy here for many years."

"Lady Undomiel, this place is beautiful. You have been privileged to reside here."

"Please call me Arwen. Yes, I am aware of it. I like Imladris, too, but things with my father have been ... difficult, so I have stayed with my grandparents. Why were you in Imladris?"

Legolas assumed that Arwen knew about his relationship with Estel. He thought that either Elrond or Galadriel had told her. Galadriel had not done so, but Elrond had taken it for granted that his mother-in-law would have passed this knowledge about Arwen's foster brother on.

"Estel has spent some time with the rangers. He came back very ill and wanted to see me, so I came to Imladris."

"You must know him well. When did you meet him?" Arwen was interested in finding out more about both Legolas and Estel. Legolas found the question somewhat odd, but answered.

"We met about ...' Legolas hesitated, 'fifteen years ago, when your father, the twins and Estel came for a function to Lasgalen. We became friends then, we liked each other immediately." He did not mention that they became lovers a couple of years later.

"Have you spent much time with him since?"

"Not as much as I would have liked to have done – for many years my father and your father did not like it when we met. It has only been a few years that your father has come to like me and has truly welcomed me to Imladris."

They had walked to the foot of a tall tree with a staircase running up its trunk.

"Come, I will show you where you will sleep. Your pack has already been brought up here."

They quickly climbed up the ladder. Arwen lead him onto a large talan. He saw that the twins' packs, Estel's and his own and Halbarad's things were all there.

"My father will be guest at my grandmother's private quarters, but everyone else who came with you will sleep here. Your two warriors have chosen to share with ours, both were glad for the opportunity to share experiences with our archers. You can sort out who will sleep where. Come, I show you around."

There were several bedsteads, a low table and two couches with a lantern. The talan did not have a roof, the silvery green leaves of the mallorn trees formed a covering. There was also a small wash facility.

"I am leaving you now, and wish you a good night. You look as if you need it." Legolas nodded, he was too exhausted to pretend otherwise.

After Arwen had left, the prince washed, quickly searched for his sleep clothes and unceremoniously flopped onto the first bed, face down. That was how Estel, the twins and Halbarad found him.

"I knew he was tired, but he will never admit to it," Estel said with a smile. The young man took a spare blanket lying on one of the couches and covered Legolas gently.

Then everyone else went to bed as well.

Legolas was woken up by a gentle knocking at the entrance of the talan early the next morning, everyone else still fast asleep It was not truly a door, more a half-door, but it was common courtesy to knock before entering a talan. Legolas got up to see who it was, hoping it was not Arwen since he only wore his sleep clothes.

It was Haldir, ready for the day with his bow. "I did not realise that warriors in Lasgalen sleep late into the morning." Since he had not been at the evening meal the previous day, he had not yet heard of Legolas' accident.

"I thought we could have a little archery contest between Lorien, Lasgalen and Imladris. I have heard much about your skills, Legolas, and would like to see you shooting. I have not yet broken fast and thought we could all eat together."

Haldir regarded Legolas for a long moment. The thin sleep clothes he wore did not do much to hide the contours of his body. The marchwarden could not help feeling attracted to the young prince. In some ways, Haldir was surprised by his own feelings. In his youth he had experimented with lovers of both genders but as an adult he had always preferred females. And even though Legolas was beautiful, it was a masculine attractiveness.

The younger elf felt the scrutiny and blushed. "I'll wake the others and meet you at the hall for breakfast," Legolas answered, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

An hour later they were on their way to the training ground, Haldir, Legolas, the twins and Estel. Halbarad had politely declined to come, saying that he would like to spend some time with Elrond and Galadriel.

They spent the next few hours testing their skills. Haldir was surprised how well Estel shot, for a mortal he was exceptionally good with a bow. The twins were good, but not outstanding. But the only serious contester for Haldir was Legolas. Even though his bow was much smaller than the Galadhrim bows, on short and medium range targets he equalled or even outshot the marchwarden. 'What would he do with one of our bows! He is every bit as good as they say,' Haldir thought.

After a couple of hours, the twins and Estel decided to return to Caras Caladhon, and left Haldir and Legolas to their shooting competition.

"Legolas, would you like to try my bow?"

Legolas looked surprised. To offer another your bow to use was rare. And yet, he was itching to try the large bow that Haldir was using.

"If you trust me with it, I would very much like to try your bow." Legolas' smile and sparkling eyes conveyed more than his words. Haldir, too, smiled – rare for the marchwarden, and again both elves had the feeling that something happened between them.

Legolas tried Haldir's bow. It was as beautiful to use as he had imagined it to be. After a few mediocre shots, Haldir said: "You need to adjust your position for this bow. Like ... this." Haldir adjusted Legolas' grip on the bow and the position of his arms and shoulders.

Legolas felt Haldir's touch through his clothing like a stroke of lightening, or at least he imagined he did. He admitted to himself with a very guilty conscience, that he felt enormously attracted to the Lorien elf. In all the time he had been together with Estel, he had never felt like this, and he was unsure on how to deal with it. He did not feel any change in his affection for Estel, all of a sudden there just was this additional, unwanted attraction to Haldir. And yet he could not help his reactions to the other elf.

The next shot was true, and they continued to alternate shooting with Haldir's bow until Haldir declared the younger elf as good as himself. Legolas smiled and said:

"Thank you, Haldir. I think it is time for me to stop anyway, Elrond would scold me for having used my arm so much. It hurts now, I better stop."

"What is wrong with your arm?"

"It was broken in two places a week ago."

"A week ago? Legolas, we should not have put this much strain on it!" Haldir looked horrified. Although not a healer, he had had enough healer training and battlefield experience to know that practicing archery for an entire morning with a barely healed arm was not a good idea.

"Come, let us sit down and let me have look at this arm." They sat down together and Haldir pushed up Legolas' sleeve. He gently probed the muscles and sighed when Legolas winced. "Legolas, I think you should not shoot for a couple of days. You have strained this arm, just give it time to rest before you practice again. Let us have something to eat."

Haldir unpacked a small bag of food he had brought with him. There was some bread, cheese and apples, as well as small flask of wine. They both reclined on their backs whilst eating, enjoying the warmth of the sun and each other's company.

"What happened to your arm, Legolas?"

Legolas told Haldir of his accident. Haldir nodded, "That's why you could not sleep. I understand now." He turned sideways so that he was facing Legolas. The younger elf also turned so that they were looking at each other.

"You are beautiful, Legolas," said Haldir softly.

Legolas grinned, a small self-depreciating gesture. "It has been said before." And then, Haldir moved slightly, closing the gap between them and gently kissed Legolas. The younger elf did not resist. Haldir's lips were soft and this felt so good. Without any further thought, the young archer gave in to the sensations flooding his mind and body. Their kiss soon became passionate, their hands tangling with each other's clothes and hair.

All of a sudden, Legolas stiffened. Haldir's hand had slipped into his tunic and had found the necklace with Estel's ring. And that very moment Legolas knew that he had to make a decision, here and now, whether he wanted this to go further. And in this split second he also knew that as much as he was attracted to Haldir, he did not want to sacrifice his relationship with Estel. They had been through so much together, he loved Estel.

Haldir noticed the change in Legolas' reaction. "What is it?" he asked softly.

Legolas moved slightly away from him. "I am not free to do this, Haldir. I do not deny that I am greatly attracted to you and that I have enjoyed this. But Estel and I have been through much together, and I do not wish to hurt him or to loose his love."

Haldir looked shocked. "You and Estel? Why did you not tell me earlier?" There was some anger in his voice. He, in turn, moved away from the younger elf.

After pause, he sighed. "I am sorry, Legolas, I started it. I should have asked. I respect Estel, from what I have seen of him, he is very exceptional for a mortal. I do not wish to interfere with your relationship, although I am much attracted to you." He smiled, "... as if you had not noticed."

Legolas gently touched the marchwarden's face: "Thank you, Haldir. I should have stopped earlier. Many would have spurned me now, in anger. You have not. I am grateful for that. May be we can still be friends." Legolas was acutely aware of how inadequate this sounded.

But Haldir leaned forward again, and very gently kissed Legolas. It was a gesture of farewell, of might-have-beens, and they both knew that there would never be again another kiss between them.

Then they got up, took their bows and made their way back.

-o-o-o-

**Please review.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Author's note: Thank you to my faithful reviewers!**

- - - - -

Chapter 29 – To Make A Choice  
  
It was evening, and Arwen took her usual evening stroll to the nearby lake. She went there almost every evening and sat for a while in her favourite place, watching the sunset and enjoying the peacefulness of this spot. Even though it was not far from the elven city, in the evening not many people went to the lake, and most evenings she was able to enjoy her beautiful surroundings undisturbed.

But this evening she saw that her favourite spot on the riverbank was already occupied. She recognised the blonde elf even from behind by his clothing, it was Legolas, Thranduil's son. He had pulled up his legs and was resting his chin on his knees, and was staring into the sunset. Arwen was unsure whether he had noticed her arrival or not. The young elf looked lost in thought. Arwen decided to leave quietly, obviously Legolas wanted to be by himself. But he turned, and smiled at her.

Legolas seen the path to the lake earlier, and after he and Haldir had gone their separate ways, he had come down to the lake, needing time to come to term with what had happened earlier. He felt a mixture of guilt and regret towards both Haldir and Estel, and just wanted some time to himself.

The peace and stillness soothed Legolas' confused emotions and aroused body. After a while, he began to relax. He accepted what had happened, and felt that he had learned a few things about himself. He had found that he was not immune to temptation, but also that he loved Estel sufficiently to stop before he truly went too far. He also knew that he was unlikely to ever get himself into a similar situation again. He would recognise the signs of what was happening earlier. Legolas did not blame Haldir, the marchwarden had not known about his relationship and there had been genuine attraction between them. The young archer hoped that he and Haldir could remain friends, and Haldir had indicated that he was willing to accept this as well. Legolas was grateful for that.

Legolas sat quietly for a long time, watching dragonflies and other insects skimming over the water surface. As it grew darker, other inhabitants of the forest appeared. There were some deer that came to drink and a vixen with her cubs appeared out of a den higher up in the sandy bank. The young elf sat so still that the curious cubs came to sniff at him, only to be hauled away by the scruff of their neck by their suspicious mother.

Suddenly he became aware of another's presence. The prince turned and saw Arwen, Estel's foster sister. He smiled at her, captivated for a moment by her beauty.

"Good evening, Legolas. I hope I do not disturb you too much, I can see you were lost in thought.'

"Good evening, Lady Arwen. Yes, I came here to seek some peace and quiet, but this spot is too beautiful to keep it all to myself. Please join me if you feel like doing so."

"I come here often and watch the animals settling in for the night. There is a vixen living nearby and often I can see deer. I like observing their comings and goings."

"I have seen the fox and her cubs. The little ones were curious and sniffed at me. But their mother did not trust me." Both Arwen and Legolas laughed at that observation.

Arwen thought: 'He really is attractive. May be grandmother's idea is not so bad after all.'

Arwen sat down next to Legolas, not too close. She did not want to rush things, they had a lot of time and they needed to get to know each other. "Tell me about yourself, what does a prince do with himself all day? What is life in Lasgalen like?" she asked with a grin.

Legolas looked at her and hesitated. This was actually quite a difficult to answer. He then just ploughed in, trying to describe his everyday life, his duties and responsibilities. Of course he mentioned Estel frequently.

Arwen was surprised that her foster brother and the prince from Mirkwood were such good friends. Friendships between elves and mortals were unusual, but Estel was no ordinary mortal, he had grown up amongst elves and in many ways was more like them than his fellow men.

Arwen liked to listen to Legolas. His voice was melodious, his accent different to that of either elves from Rivendell or Lorien. Whilst he talked, she looked at his face. The setting sun caloured his light hair and fair skin a deep gold. 'It would not be difficult to bond with this one' Arwen thought. She was not strongly attracted to Legolas, but she did not think it would be hard to live with him. She admitted to herself that, as far as attraction was concerned, she had been more taken by Estel, there was something about her foster brother that deeply appealed to her. But if her grandparents and her father decided that she should bond with Legolas, she would not object to it.

Later, Arwen told Legolas much about life in Lorien. They sat until darkness had fallen and Arwen suggested that they went for the evening meal. When they arrived, Elrond, the twins and Estel, as well as everyone else, were already seated.

"Where have you been?" asked Estel, smiling both at Legolas and his sister.

"We sat by the lake and talked." Legolas returned the smile and knew this very moment that his earlier decision had been the right one. He loved Estel, he did not want to lose him.

The evening meal was an animated affair, the conversation flowing easily. Arwen talked at length to the twins whom she had not seen for a while as well. Elrond, Celeborn and Galadriel continued a conversation they had started earlier. Estel joined in the conversation of his brothers and sister. Only Legolas kept relatively quiet. Arwen noticed, and half in jest nudged Estel and asked: "Is he always so quiet?"

"Most of the time." Estel grinned, and then added," But not always." Again Arwen felt the pull of attraction towards her foster brother. She looked at Legolas. 'He is too serious.'

After the meal, Galadriel suggested to walk over to the Hall, a large pavilion on the ground that the elves from Lorien used for gatherings. Often in the evenings there would be music and dancing.

When they arrived the dancing was already in full swing. Not shy, Arwen asked first her Legolas and then her foster brother for dances. Both agreed, and she was surprised how different it felt to dance with the two of them. Legolas was graceful and agile, following the rhythm of the music with effortless ease. When she put her arms around him, she felt how slender he was and that in term reminded her of his youth. She remembered that she had wanted to ask him whether he had passed his majority, to guess another elf's age within a few hundred years was virtually impossible. They did not speak during the dance, but Legolas' hands felt light and pleasant on her back and waist. He smelled of the woods in spring.

When the dance with Legolas ended, Arwen asked Estel to dance, who readily agreed. Again, Arwen realised that she was attracted to her foster brother. Although of similar height to Legolas, he was much more solidly built and as far as dancing was concerned, was also far less graceful. He danced well enough, but not with the same ease as Legolas. When Arwen put her hands on his shoulders, she could feel his muscles underneath his tunic. She had to fight the temptation to run her hands through his dark, wavy hair, she would have loved to pull some of it straight and watch it spring back into waves and ringlets.

Briefly she wondered if Estel had a lover or if he would consider her even though she was his foster sister. But by the time she had reached these thoughts, the dance had stopped and Estel politely excused himself. The next dance started, it was a slow, sensuous melody and Arwen wondered why Estel had stopped dancing with her. Most males would have appreciated an opportunity to dance a slow dance with her. But much to her surprise, Estel had gone over to Legolas, who had danced the previous dance with a pretty young elf-maiden. She saw Estel say something, and then take Legolas' hand. The Mirkwood elf smiled one of his rare smiles.

And whilst they danced, she saw it all. The way they held each other close, the way Estel buried his head in Legolas hair, their entire body language spoke volumes. She realised that this was not even flirting, but a long- held affection. Arwen wondered how she could have been so blind and miss it – both had talked about each other many times with obvious affection. When the dance ended, Estel kissed Legolas gently on the mouth, only very briefly. The moment passed, unnoticed by most. But Arwen felt a jolt of jealousy shooting through her, she very much wanted to be in Legolas' place. Arwen wondered whether her grandmother knew of this relationship but then concluded that this was almost certainly the case, but Galadriel had chosen to ignore this fact in her plans.

At this moment, Elrohir came up to her. "Whom do you fancy, little sister? The prince or the ranger?" The question had not been meant seriously, Elrohir did not expect an answer.

But Arwen turned to wards her brother. "If you must know, the ranger." Elrohir stared at her. He loved his foster brother, but for his sister to fall in love with him was inconceivable. "What?"

"You heard right, but its seems that both of their hearts are given anyway" There was a slight bitterness in her voice. "Grandmother wants me to wed Legolas, she says it would be a good match."

"Arwen, this cannot be true. Grandmother has known that Estel and Legolas are a couple for many years!"

Arwen looked at her brother seriously. "Grandmother thinks that if Legolas and I marry, the bonds between the different elven realms would be strengthened, which is undoubtedly true."

Elrohir just shook his head. "How could she do this – to you, and to them. They have not had it easy, they deserve some happiness together."

Arwen looked over to where Estel and Legolas were now seated a settee away from the centre of the room. Both of them looked relaxed and happy in each other's company. And all of a sudden she realised that she resented their closeness, their obvious happiness. She wanted to be in Legolas ' place, on Aragorn's side. She felt a fierce resentment of the younger elf, of his beauty and shy smile, but most of all that he so obviously held Estel's heart.

Elrohir watched Arwen. He had always been able to read his sister well, to him it was obvious what was going through her mind.

"It really is Estel, isn't it? I thought you were joking. It would be best to just forget that fancy, you will not part these two, both father and Thranduil have tried for years."

Arwen hardly listen to her brother, she was too busy watching her foster brother and Legolas. They were quietly talking, occasionally touching, but nothing overt or obvious.

"Are they always so discrete? During that dance it was obvious that they are strongly attracted to each other."

Elrohir told his sister about the many years of difficulties their brother and his lover had gone through, and that they were discrete both out of habit but also out of a desire not to make others feel uncomfortable.

Arwen sighed. She would need to speak to her grandmother. Somehow she had the feeling that Galadriel's plan to marry her and Legolas would not work. Besides, after what she had seen, she was not at all certain she still liked the idea. She did not feel like dancing any longer and decided that perhaps an early night might help her to think things through.

**TBC. Please review.**


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30 – To Make A Choice  
**  
After Arwen had left the dancing, she did not return to her talan. Instead she returned to the place by the lake where she had sat with Legolas earlier. It was one of her favourite spots and she often went there in the evenings when she wanted to be by herself. She settled herself on the grassy bank and looked at the stars, trying to achieve the serenity and peace that the stars always instilled in her. On this occasion however, she found that she could not keep her swirling thoughts and emotions in check, and they overwhelmed any peacefulness.

She could not help remembering how both Legolas and Estel had felt dancing with her, the differences between their bodies and the way they moved. She kept thinking about everything that had happened in the last two days, and simply could not empty her mind. In particular she continued to see that brief moment when Estel had kissed Legolas, the evident affection on the young man's face, and the gentleness with which he touched his partner. How she wished to have been in Legolas place!

And Legolas ... He was beautiful, and very polite, but she was not attracted to him. Arwen felt old in comparison to Legolas. She wondered what Estel saw in the young elf, apart from his obvious beauty.

Arwen was at a loss of what to do. Her grandmother had suggested a match with the young archer from Mirkwood, but Arwen ha strong misgivings about this. Legolas was nice enough and pleasing to look at - she would be lying to herself if she did not admit that he was attractive – but she felt no physical attraction towards him. And, another admition to herself, presently she felt intensely jealous of him.

Arwen leaned back, crossing her arms underneath her head, staring at the stars. And slowly she found the peace she had been seeking, it was as if the stars, her forefathers, were telling her what the future would bring. And it was as if Earendil blinked at her.

Gradually her eyes unfocused and she entered the realm of dreams. She dreamed of herself, playing with a dark-haired small boy and two younger girls. Estel came and joined them, a much aged Estel with grey in his hair and a lined face. And then Legolas, unchanged, also joined the scene. He picked up one of the girls by the waist and lifted the child high into the air. The girl squealed with delight and grabbed a handful of Legolas' hair. The young elf winced, and Arwen saw herself and Estel laughing at their companion's discomfort. Finally Estel got up from his position on the floor and opened the small fist of his daughter to release Legolas' hair. He then took the child from the elf, kissing her on her round smooth cheek.

At this point, Arwen slipped out of the dream and sat up with a start. She realised suddenly what this dream meant. She had seen the future. The Valar had given her a bittersweet cup indeed. She would get what she had always wanted, several children, and they would be by a man she deeply loved. But she also knew with absolute certainty that she would never hold Estel's heart. She would be queen, and well provided for, with a royal husband and three beautiful children, but her husband's heart was given to and held by a young blonde elf from Mirkwood. And she would lose her immortality.

Arwen sat in silence for many hours, pondering the future. She had a choice to make: Either to accept what the Valar were offering her, a family, and a husband she loved but also a husband who would only ever respect her, not love her. She would have to live with the knowledge that his heart belonged to the one person he had always loved since he was barely out of childhood. Or the other choice was to forgo the notion of a family – she knew that she would not be given another chance for this – and to go to the West.

Arwen Undomiel sat long on the bank of the lake and wondered what to do. As the new day dawned, she had made a decision. She had chosen her fate, but it was not yet time to reveal her choice. There would be many years before Estel would be king.

Arwen felt more peaceful than she had felt in a long time. The inner restlessness that had plagued for several years had stilled. She knew that her choice would upset her father and grandparents, and she felt sorrow about this. And yet, she knew deep down that she had made the right choice. When Estel – Aragorn fulfilled his destiny, he would need a queen. The Valar had not only given her a bittersweet cup to drink, Legolas and Estel, too, were facing joy and sorrow in equal measure.

Arwen wondered why they had not bonded but as soon as she had asked herself the question, she knew the answer. Both Legolas and Estel were heirs to kingdoms, it would not be acceptable to have a partner of the same gender for either of them. The world of men in particular would never accept a male partner for a king. Arwen wondered to what extent Estel was aware of this. And yet, if Estel had a queen who knew of and accepted his relationship with Legolas, he would be able to spend time with the person he truly loved. Legolas would be a close family friend, no one bar their friends and family would be the wiser – people tended not to look for what they were not expecting to find.

Arwen knew it would be hard for Legolas to see her married to Estel, and yet, for him too this offered a chance. If Estel married someone else – which he would have to do to continue his line – it is unlikely hat this woman would accept their relationship. Arwen decided to bide her time. Fate would bring what it will, but she would use the years to come to get to know Estel and Legolas better.

"Ada?" Elrohir settled into an empty chair next to his father. Breakfast was finished, and both Celeborn and Galadriel had excused themselves to attend to some business. Elrond had not hurried finishing his food and had thus seen Elrohir arrive late for the meal. He had a good idea what his son had been up to, he had danced most of the previous evening with a young, blonde elf-maiden from Lothlorien. Elrond did not really mind, Elrohir's partners were always willing and he had so far always managed to extract himself every time without any complications.

"What is it, Elrohir?"

"Do you have time to talk?" "Elrohir, what is the matter? Have you got a maid with child?" Any elf- maiden would know when to avoid making love, and equally she would know immediately when she had conceived. 'Accidents' were very rare, but they did occur and Elrohir's seriousness after what Elrond had observed the previous evening ... the elf-lord was concerned.

Elrohir smiled. "Oh, no father, it is nothing like that. I make sure that I ask before taking risks."

Elrond could not help a small grin crossing his face at this remark. As far as elf-maidens were concerned, Elrohir was incorrigible.

Elrohir continued. "No, it is just – I had a very odd conversation with Arwen yesterday. I just wondered what you know about this. Arwen told me that grandmother had suggested to her to marry Legolas sicne it would strengthen the ties between the different realms. She was most upset to find out that Legolas and Estel are a couple. To complicate this further, she also likes Estel rather more than is wise, in fact I think she has fallen for him in a bad way.

Elrond could not keep a surprised look from his face. That his mother-in- law had made plans for Arwen and Legolas did not surprise him particularly, what did surprise him that she had not consulted him first – they were on good terms and Arwen was his daughter after all. Elrond also knew that Galadriel disapproved of Legolas' and Estel's relationship, in her view it blocked the path for both of them to marry and have heirs for their respective kingdoms.

"No, I did not know about his. But somehow it does not surprise me all that much, you know your grandmother as well as I do. She can be quite ruthless when it comes to political advantages, and that is why she proposes this marriage."

"But ... ada, this is a terrible match! Can you see Legolas and Arwen together? What about Estel?"

Elrond looked at his son. "I agree, I cannot see these two being happy together, they would bring out the worst in each other rather than the best. Arwen needs a partner who is spontaneous like her and not opposed to doing things on impulse on occasion, but also someone who would risk an argument if she does something that displeases him. I cannot see Legolas doing that, he would be impeccably polite and deeply unhappy, and would withdraw, which in turn would lead to Arwen trying to provoke him more. And there is the small matter of Estel...

Despite the seriousness of the conversation, Elrohir had to smile. His father's summary of Arwen's and Legolas' personalities was so accurate that Elrohir could not help being amused by it.

"I need to talk to Galadriel, but also to Arwen. You think she is in love with Estel? This is as bad as Galadriel's idea ... besides, I do not think that Arwen would succeed in breaking the bond between Legolas and Estel. And for my part, I would not support her in this – a relationship between elf and man is full of difficulties – but to formally wed would mean for her to lose her immortality. As much as I love Estel, I do not wish to see Arwen losing her immortality."

"I feel the same. And I do not think that Estel is interested in her."

"Neither do I."

Father and son smiled at each other. After a brief pause, Elrond said:

"On a different topic, I need to check Legolas' arm. His father could arrive any hour now and I would like to be able to say that Legolas is fully healed. Do you know where they have gone to?"

"No, you saw that I was late. I had better things to do than to check up on my little brother..." Elrohir grinned again.

"Elrohir, one day you will get yourself into trouble! Just make sure that you know what you are doing..."

"Ada, I am old enough to make my own decisions."

Elrond sighed. "Of course you are, but you are also my son and I think parents never stop worrying..." The older elf very lightly touched his son's face. They looked at each other for a brief moment in silence. It was rare for Elrond to show his affection for his sons so openly, and Elrohir was grateful for the brief moment.

"I better go and find Legolas."

Legolas had woken early. He very much wanted to have some privacy with Estel, so he quietly went over to the young man's bed and woke him.

After a gentle kiss and a few whispered words, Estel got up quietly as well. They dressed quickly, leaving the others to sleep. They both noticed that Elrohir had not returned to the talan. Once they were on the ground, they decided that they wanted to go to the bathing pool first. Since it was still early, they were alone at the pool. They quickly stripped and entered the water – it was pleasantly warm since the pool was formed by a warm natural spring.

They sat down on one side next to each other, simply enjoying each other's company. Dawn was breaking, the sky turning a pale red and the birds began they morning songs. Everything was quiet and peaceful.

Suddenly Legolas turned, a mischievous grin on his face. He grabbed Estel's sides and began to tickle him mercilessly. Estel returned the favour and soon the silence and peacefulness of the pool was destroyed as man and elf engaged in an enormous waterfight. Their laughter and splashing attracted several other elves who were on their way to their morning absolutions, and who now stood at the edges, waiting for the two in the pool to stop their games. With a final shove, Legolas toppled Estel over backwards, and landed on top of him. "What a pity we have an audience," he whispered into Estel's ear. "Well, you had your chance! It was peaceful and quiet here and we were alone before you started this ..." Estel said with a grin.

Seeing that Legolas and Estel had finished splashing, they were joined by several other elves. After a short while, Estel and Legolas got out and got dressed. They went to the Hall to get an early breakfast, hungry now after their water play. After their food, they looked at each other and with silent agreement, they made their way up on of the forest paths.

It was still early and they only encountered few elves. Legolas lead them off the main path, to a small glade he had spotted the previous day. Here they stopped. Legolas put his arms around Estel's shoulders and pulled him close. "I would like to finish what we started." Their eyes locked and Estel leaned forward into the embrace, holding Legolas tightly. They kissed, gently at first, and then more passionately.

Some time later, when the sun had come up, they were both laying next to each other on the soft forest grass, still without clothes. Estel was slightly cold in the crisp spring air and had cuddled up closely to Legolas, who was running his hands through his partner's hair.

"Estel? What will you do when we are finished here?"

Estel sighed. He really did not want to think about this at the moment. "I will return to the rangers with Halbarad. I feel I have no choice. They are my people even if it does not feel like it, and they need a leader. They are waiting for me. Can you come with me for a while?"

It was Legolas' turn to sigh. "It depends what happens when I see my father again. If he allows me to go, I would very much like to come with you. I have never been further west than that journey we did together with the twins and the two rangers a couple of years ago. I would like to see how your people live. Do you think they would mind seeing an elf?"

"No, they still remember their elven heritage strongly, and I think they would welcome you. But like most men they do not like relationships such as ours, I have found that out some time ago. We would have to be careful. Would you still like to come?" Legolas shifted so that he could see Estel's face. "Estel, to spend time with you I would go to much greater length than that. We know how to be discrete."

Estel looked slightly dubious at that remark. "We would get into trouble if we are not."

"If my father allows it, I will travel with you."

"We will have to speak with Halbarad as well."

"I do not think he would object if I came."

"I do not think so, either." They smiled at each other.

"Estel, you are as cold as a block of ice. Get away from me and get dressed!"

They both put on their clothes and made their way back to the elven city. On the way, they were stopped by Elrond, who quickly checked Legolas arm, side and leg. The elf-lord declared him fully healed but warned Legolas not to strain his limbs or side too much and to allow his body the extra rest that it still needed. When he had left, Legolas said to Estel:

"Probably Haldir was right, practising archery all morning yesterday was probably not such a good idea."

"You did not do that, did you?" Estel looked incredulously. The look on Legolas' face gave him all the answer he needed. The young man shook his head. Sometimes Legolas really exasperated him.

"Come, let us see what the others are doing." Legolas took Estel's hand and they made their way back.

**TBC. Please review**


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31 – To Make A Choice**

Legolas and Estel spent the remainder of the morning exploring the elven city. It was much larger than it looked at first glance, and they enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with each other, just to wander around, with no particular aim. When the midday meal approached, they returned to the Hall, where they also met Elrond, Halbarad, Arwen and the twins. Neither Estel not Legolas had seen Galadriel or Celeborn since their first meeting.

During the meal, banter flowed easily. Elrond watched his daughter carefully and mentally he confirmed Elrohir's suggestion. Arwen had fallen for Estel, but she was quite discrete about it and Estel was blissfully unaware of the impression he had made on his foster sister.

Suddenly Elrond saw Haldir approaching. The marchwarden was dressed ready for travel, he wore his cloak and weapons. He came up behind Legolas, who became aware of his presence and turned. There was an odd expression on his face that made Elrond wonder what happened between the two elves. Haldir said something very quietly to Legolas, who hesitated and then nodded.

"Excuse me for a few moments." Without further explanations, Legolas moved his chair and got up. He followed Haldir outside. Elrond noticed that Estel regarded the two with a slight frown. 'Well,' Elrond thought, 'Estel would have to be blind or completely insensitive to have missed the tension between these two.'

Outside, Haldir and Legolas stopped. They looked at each other for a long while. Then Haldir sighed. "Legolas, I have to go on patrol duty now. I will not return for several weeks. I do not know whether you will still be here when I return. I wanted to give you something to remember me by ... just in case something happens. We are both warriors after all."

He pulled out a small wooden box, not larger than the palm of his hand. It was intricately carved with the shapes of mallorn leaves, and inlaid with silver.

Legolas gasped. It was beautiful, and, he suspected, quite valuable as well. "You cannot give me this, Haldir! This is too much1"

Haldir smiled a sad little smile. "Yes, I can. I made it myself, and I want you to have it."

Legolas marvelled at the level of craftsmanship displayed in the ornate design of the small box. "Haldir, I ...," he began, at a loss for words. The older elf simply laid a finger on Legolas' mouth. "Don't," he said, "I know. Open it."

Legolas opened the small box. Inside he found a small parchment. There were a few lines in a small, regular handwriting:

_May you always find your path.  
May the wind be in your back.  
May the sun shine warm on your face.  
May the rains fall soft upon you.  
And until we meet again,  
May the Valar protect you._

Legolas looked up. There was so much unsaid between them, and yet both knew that no further words were needed.

"Farewell, Legolas, son of Thranduil. Be happy." Haldir smiled that sad little smile again. He very gently touched Legolas' cheek, and then turned to leave.

"Farewell, Haldir of Lorien." Legolas' voice sounded choked. Haldir did not turn again.

-o-o-o-

Estel wondered where Legolas had gone, and after a while he, too, gave his excuses and left the hall. Outside, he found Legolas, holding something small in his hand and looking very upset.

"What is it? What has Haldir done to you?" Estel asked concerned.

With a visible effort, Legolas pulled himself together. "He has done nothing. He is going on patrol duty and might not return before we leave. He has just given me this."

Legolas showed Estel the little box, and its content. The young man looked at Legolas. "He cares for you." And then, with a slight frown, "What do you feel about him?"

Legolas did not answer the question. He looked at Estel, unable to keep the sorrow out of his voice. "He gave his farewell and told me to be happy." Estel looked at Legolas for a long while, and then embraced him tightly.

-o-o-o-

Suddenly there was a commotion nearby. Thranduil and his party had arrived.

All other thoughts momentarily forgotten, Legolas and Estel went to meet the elven king.

Thranduil arrived at the head of his party. All of the Mirkwood elves looked tired and dirty, some of the warriors were injured. It looked as if they had not had an easy journey. Thranduil's first thought was to look for Legolas. Where was his son?

But the instant the thought had occurred to him, he saw Legolas. With one swift movement, the king dismounted and strode to his son. They looked at each other for a moment, then Thrandruil smiled and opened his arms to embrace Legolas. In that moment, he did not mind displaying his affection for his son in public. Legolas did not hesitate, and father and son stood for a moment in a tight embrace.

"Father!"

"Legolas! I have missed you. "

The king and his son smiled at each other.

Then Thranduil turned to Estel. He had had much time to think over how he was going to react to the young man. He had realised that even though he had seen the mortal semi-regularly for more than a decade, he knew very little about him. The elven king had admitted to himself that he had not even bothered to look truly at Estel, the knowledge that he was mortal had always been sufficient to condemn him in the king's eyes.

So when he released Legolas, the king turned and took a good hard look at this young man, who had captured and held his son's heart for all these years.

He saw a slim young man with clear grey eyes and dark wavy hair that was tied back in the neck. His features were sensitive and carried only the barest shadow of facial hair. There was no sign of body hair either on the bare forearms of the youngster or in the open neck of his tunic. Thranduil had to admit that the young man was handsome, in a more robust way than an elven male would be, but nevertheless attractive. He wore simple dark leggings and a maroon short-sleeved tunic, undoubtedly of elven make. But the most surprising feature about him was that he did not shrink or flinch from the elven king's gaze, but held it.

After a long moment, Thrandruil gave himself an mental shove. He had decided that he wanted to see Legolas as happy as possible, and if that meant to try to accept Estel, at least for the time being, he would do so.

"Greetings, Estel Elrondion." Thandruil saw the surprise on the young man's features, as he bowed to give the formal elven greeting.

"Many thanks, and my greetings as well." Estel's voice was deeper than an elf's but still melodious. Estel had a fairly pronounced Rivendell accent. Thranduil had always avoided meeting and seeing the young man when he came to Lasgalen, and, bar brief formal greetings, had in fact only heard him speak very few times.

Thandruil saw the hesitation on Estel's face, before the young man asked:" It looks as if your journey was not trouble free. Can we be of assistance?"

At that moment, Galadriel and Elrond arrived. They exchanged greetings, which were decidedly cool. Thranduil held his mental barriers up – he did not want to be scanned by Galadriel. Galadriel frowned, but did not comment.

Elrond took in the state of Thandruil's party and said. "You need to rest, have some food and your injured need to be seen to. We will show you were you will sleep and so that you can refresh yourselves and have some food. Legolas, would you please take your father to his talan? Estel, please settle this warriors and see to their injuries."

Legolas and his father made their way to the talan reserved for visiting dignitaries. On the way, Thranduil told his son what had happened on the way. The elven party had had great trouble with spiders when they cut through the south-eastern corner of Mirkwood to reach the old forest road.

"We need to so something about this, Legolas. The old forest road is no longer safe. We were eleven experienced warriors, and we struggled. The shadow of Dol Guldur has grown strong. This situation concerns me greatly – there is a danger that Lasgalen cut be cut off. We cannot defend all the outlying villages of our people if this threat remains unchecked."

Legolas looked at his father. This was serious news indeed. His proud father would not admit weakness if there was not a serious danger.

But currently the king smiled and said: "And how about you? How did you spent the time since you left last autumn?"

Legolas told him about the time in Imladris, Estel's slow recovery and how much he had enjoyed spending this time with Estel. He neither embellished nor omitted their commitment to each other. He then told his father of the journey to Lorien and his accident. His father was shocked.

"How could Elrond let this happen!" Concern turned to anger.

"Father, it was an accident. No one could know that the cave was unstable, and Elrond did warn us to be careful. I was, but it still happened. It was simply an accident. Elrond did everything he possibly could to heal me. There is no damage left." Mentally he added, 'at least physically.' But he would not tell his father about his nightmares. At least not yet.

Thranduil sighed. Unfortunately, accidents did happen, and there was no point in blaming another. There was also an other issue here.

"Legolas, you have seen much of Elrond recently. Tell me, what do you think of Elrond?"

Legolas did not hesitate to answer that question. "I like him greatly. He is very caring and will always try to do what he thinks is best for others. Over the last few years he has been like a father to me, and has helped me through some hard times ... when things were difficult between us ..." Legolas stopped. He did not want to reproach his father.

"I know, Legolas. I have made many mistakes, but I, too, tried to do what I thought was best for you."

"Elrond and I used to be friends. He saved your mother's life once. But after the War, when so many of our people had died under his command, I could not forgive him for that."

"Father, they probably would have died under someone elses command as well..."

"Perhaps." Thranduil did not sound convinced. "Maybe."

They had arrived at the foot of the staircase they needed to climb. Legolas changed the topic. "I have been told that there would be a banquet of the day of your arrival and that the council would begin the following day. Mithrandir has not yet arrived, and has not left a message, so we do not know when or if he will arrive."

"The Istari come and go as they please." Thranduil sighed. He was not overly keen of the wizard but he recognised his wisdom and knowledge.

They climbed up the stars and Legolas left his father to refresh himself after the long journey. He went in search of Estel, but meet Elladan on the way instead. "Elrohir and I would like to practise with our weapons a bit. Do you want to come along?

Legolas hesitated. "Elladan, thank you for the offer. But your father was told me not to strain my arm and I am quite sure weapons training would classify as 'straining'. I did too much with Haldir yesterday already."

Elladan nodded. "I think my sister has taken Estel for a walk, you may not see him for a while. Don't you just want to come with us?"

Legolas looked slightly concerned. He had seen how Arwen had looked at Estel, and, despite his inexperience with elf maidens, he was certain that she had feelings for Estel. But then he scolded himself. 'Who am I to judge her – after what happened with Haldir? Estel will have to set the boundaries. It is up to him.'

"Yes, I will come with you. My father needs a bit of time to refresh himself, and there is still time until the evening meal."

- - - - In the mean time, Estel and Arwen had gone for a walk. It was a beautiful afternoon. They had not intended to go far but their surroundings were peaceful and they much enjoyed each other's company. Arwen asked Estel many questions about his childhood and adolescence, she still found it hard to believe that the awkward child she had seen last a few short years ago had grown into this attractive young man. She also discreetly asked about Legolas, and Estel was more than ready to tell her about the beginning and development of their relationship.

To Arwen, all he said confirmed what she already knew from her dream: There was a deep bond between Estel and Legolas, formalised or not. And as Estel talked, Arwen felt her own feelings growing. He talked of Legolas with affection, and although Arwen felt small pangs of jealousy, the respect and love that Estel held for his partner, raised her opinion of Estel even more. For one so young and lacking in years, especially by elven standards, Estel had already gone through much hardship, but neither he nor Legolas had failed each other.

They carried on and eventually climbed the slopes of a grassy hill, which was covered in golden elanor and the pale niphredil flowers. There were also two circles of trees; the outer trees had white bark and the inner trees were the gold-leaved mallorn. They had arrived at Cerin Amroth, where King Amroth had lived.

Both Arwen and Estel felt the dreamlike quality of the place, elven power seemed to be especially strong, time having no meaning. Estel and Arwen sat together at the edge of the trees, the hours passed. They did not speak much. At some stage Arwen slipped her hand into Estel's. He looked at her in surprise but did not object, he was too content to disturb the peace of the afternoon. So they sat there, hands linked, until the sun was setting. Then Estel broke the silence.

"Arwen, I think we need to return." Estel looked at their linked hands. "Why did you do this, Arwen?"

"Can you not guess, Estel?"

Realization dawned, and Estel looked at his foster sister with shock. "You cannot feel that way about me, Arwen! I am your foster brother, and also I love Legolas, I would not be untrue to him."

"I know," said Arwen, "and I respect you for that. But since the first time I saw you here, I have had feelings for you. I do not know where they come from since I hardly know you. But I cannot deny them."

"I am sorry Arwen, because I will not be able to return these feelings." Estel's voice was gentle, and he softly touched Arwen's face. "You are beautiful, Arwen, and I like you greatly, but as a sister, not a lover. I am sorry for causing you pain."

Arwen shook her head. "Don't be. The Valar have their own plans for both of us. Only time will tell where they will lead us."

**Please review**

Note: Poem adapted from an old Irish blessing.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32 – To Make A Choice  
**  
Evening had arrived and the banquet had begun. Galadriel and Elrond were surprised not to see any sign of Thandruil. Finally Elrond approached Legolas. The younger elf looked his very best. He wore a simply cut, dark blue tunic made out of a silky material, embroidered with silvery thread at the neck and sleeves. With that, he wore matching leggings made from the same material and a silver belt. The entire outfit was understated and yet it emphasised Legolas' fair features and slim body.

Elrond briefly wondered who had helped Legolas choose this clothing, he knew very well that the young prince was indifferent to his clothing and appearance. Which was, Elrond thought, one of the things he liked about Legolas. For someone who had grown up at Thranduil's court, Legolas was surprisingly unaffected by appearances, but perhaps this was also the effect of having learned very early that many, if not most, people were only interested in his appearance, not the person behind it.

Elrond approached the young elf. "Legolas, you look stunning." Elrond smiled at the young prince. Legolas blushed deeply. Elrond continued: "I hope Estel appreciates your efforts... I am sure he does."

"I hope so. Elladan chose these clothes for me and said he thought that Estel would like them."

Elrond thought that his son certainly had good taste. "Legolas, I have not yet seen your father. Perhaps you should go and check that there is no problem."

Legolas nodded. "I will have a look and see what he is doing."

Legolas quickly made his way to his father's talan. Much to his surprise, everything was dark as he approached the platform. He had at least expected a small lantern, most elves would leave a small light for their return before going out. He gently knocked on the door, and since there was no reply, he went in.

Everything was quite dark, but as soon as his eyes adapted, he noticed the form of his father laying on one of the beds, still in his travelling clothes, but without his boots. He was laying on his back, eyes unfocused, lids heavy. This indicated his level of exhaustion. The trip to Lothlorien must have been even more tiring than he had admitted.

Legolas quickly lit a small lantern, expecting that his father would wake up. But Thranduil simply mumbled something and turned away from the intrusive light. The prince sighed. He disliked the thought of waking his father, who obviously needed the rest. But a king had to appear to the banquet laid on for his welcome. There was no way out of it, Legolas would have to wake his father.

Legolas glanced around. The king's travel pack was yet unpacked and after a brief hesitation, Legolas opened the bag and took out Thranduil's formal clothing. There were only two robes that were appropriate, and the young elf chose one, and a matching tunic, leggings and soft boots. He laid them out, together with his father's golden circlet. He also found his father's wash kit and set it aside.

Then he sat down on the bed next to his father, and touched him lightly at the shoulder. "Ada? It is time to wake up. The banquet has started."

Thranduil gradually became aware of a light touch on his shoulder. His mind and eyes focused, and he found himself looking at Legolas' face. His son was dressed in formal clothes ... formal clothes! With a start, Thranduil woke up fully.

Legolas smiled at him. "Father, the banquet has begun. Perhaps you should get ready. I have already laid out some clothes for you and your wash kit. I am sorry that I had to wake you."

Thranduil returned Legolas' smile. "Thank you, Legolas." The king swung his legs out of the bed and got up to refresh himself. He quickly washed and dressed, but stopped when it came to braiding his hair. "Legolas, would you help me with my hair?"

Legolas looked at him in surprise. His father had never asked him to do this before. "Of course, ada." Legolas' deft fingers quickly gathered and braided Thranduil's hair, so much like his own in texture and colour.

"Thank you, my son." Thranduil now looked very much the king, and Legolas was proud of his father. Together they went to the feast.

The evening progressed smoothly. Food had been served on long tables and everyone was able to choose their own food and place. When Legolas and Thranduil had filled their plates, Legolas led his father to a table where Elrond sat, with all four of his children. Without asking his father, Legolas asked:" May we join you?"

Elrond looked up. "Of course you can. Welcome, Thandruil. Please have a seat" Elrond indicated an empty seat next to him. Since it was impossible to turn this invitation down without being very rude, Thandruil accepted and sat down. The meal continued in awkward silence. When they had finished their food, the twins and Arwen gave their excuses as soon as politeness allowed, which left Elrond, Thandruil, Legolas and Estel.

It was then that Elrond said: "You have a son to be proud of, Thranduil." The king looked surprised, and it was the second time this evening that Elrond made Legolas blush.

"At first, when Legolas started coming to Imladris I did not realise that Estel and Legolas were not only friends. It took me a while to notice." Thranduil nodded, it had been similar with him. "After I did know, I tried to talk Estel out of what I perceived as a youthful folly for many years, and, when Legolas came, I am afraid, his welcome was not a warm one." Again, Thranduil nodded. He was surprised that Elrond admitted to this, but it had been much the same for Estel in Lasgalen.

"I cannot claim I knew Legolas at the time. He appeared to me as beautiful and arrogant, not the sort of person I wanted as a partner for any of my children. But I had never even tried to get to know him."

"Several years ago, Legolas fell ill with some food poisoning which he and Estel acquired on one of their travels. He was exhausted and ill, and this allowed me to see him as a person, rather than the Prince of the Woodland Realm, for the first time." Thranduil looked surprised, Legolas had not told him about that incident. But then, there were many years of his son's life that he did not know much about, the king thought with sadness.

"Since that time, much has changed, and today I am proud to call Legolas a friend. He has been a good friend to all of my sons and I believe it was his presence last autumn that gave Estel the will to heal. I cannot thank him enough for that."

Thranduil looked first at Elrond, then at Legolas and Estel for a long time. He then quietly addressed his son: "Legolas, do you truly care for Estel?"

Legolas did not shy away from an honest answer. He held his father's gaze and replied firmly: "Yes, I do. You should know that by now, father." Thranduil just nodded and then turned to Estel. "Do you truly care for my son, Estel Elrondion?" "Yes, I do," said Estel, looking into the king's eyes.

Thrandruil sighed. "I am sure that Elrond and others, including myself, have made you aware of the consequences of your relationship." Both Estel and Legolas nodded. "I will not repeat lectures that you have heard many times before, but instead I will say this: I do not believe that this is a relationship that will end in joy, but I will not stand in the way of whatever happiness you can find." At these somewhat gruff words, Legolas and Estel broke into such radiant smiles that both Elrond and Thrandruil inwardly winced.

"Go off now, and enjoy yourselves. Use your time well."

"Thank you, father!" Legolas' face said it all. He took Estel's hand, and they left the table for the centre of the Hall where other couples where already dancing.

Elrond looked at Thranduil. "You know that you have just made our sons the two happiest people in Middle Earth... Thank you for that. They have deserved some carefree time."

Thranduil looked at Elrond seriously. "I have had much reason to think about some of the thinks that I have said and done over the years, and there are some that I would do differently if I had to do them again."

Elrond nodded, it was the same with him. Thranduil continued. "We were once friends. I cannot forget the day when so many of my people died – if you only had given different commands, this might not have happened, and they would still be alive."

Elrond looked at Thranduil. "Don't you think I have not pondered the same question for weeks, months and years afterwards? But I have not yet found the answer to the question of what I should have done instead. It was a bad battle and the odds were against us. Whatever other choices I would have taken would have resulted in equal or greater loss of life. And yet, I too, have not forgiven myself for that failure. Because that is what it was. I failed our people on that day."

Thranduil was deeply touched by Elrond's sincerity. He always had had the feeling that Elrond somehow shirked responsibility for the events of this day three thousand years ago. But this was clearly not the case, and the level of self-reproach in the other elf both surprised and saddened Thranduil.

"If I could undo that day, I would." Elrond's grey eyes locked with Thranduil's blue ones. Three thousand years of hurt and reproach would not be forgotten or healed in a day, but perhaps it was time to reclaim some of the friendship they had shared as younger elves. And at that moment an unspoken agreement passed between them.

The next day was the day of the Council. Galadriel and Celeborn, Thranduil and Legolas, Elrond and his three sons, and Halbarad met together in Galadriel's quarters to be undisturbed. They sat around a large table which already had a number of maps laid out on it. Galadriel formally opened the meeting.

"I thank all of you who have travelled from far and near. We have met here to gather everything we know about the growing threat of darkness. It is unfortunate that Mithrandir has not yet arrived, his knowledge would be valuable. But we have to make do with what we have, and between us, we should be able to gain some insights into what is happening. Let us begin. Halbarad, you have come from furthest west, please tell us what the situation is in the western lands."

And so the Council began. Everyone contributed their knowledge and experience. Maps were marked where orcs and wolves attacked or had been reported, spider's lairs were noted. And out of this a picture emerged that confirmed the suspicion that Elrond and Halbarad had earlier. Evil had returned to Dol Guldur, and this evil was of considerable power. Evil forces were moving, and they were moving in patterns. But no one knew what the patterns implied.

"We need to monitor their movements carefully," said Celeborn eventually. "And we need to get some idea of what the patterns of attack mean. They are not random, that much can be seen, but we do not know yet what they mean. There is much activity near the mountains, but also in the west, and in southern Mirkwood. I do not yet know what the connections are."

As the patterns of enemy movements emerged, Galadriel had become very quiet. Finally she said: "They are searching for something, and the something is almost certainly the One Ring of power, Sauron's ring. It has been lost, but perhaps the dark forces have some knowledge of where it might be."

Stunned silence followed her words. But when they others looked at the maps again, they saw what Galadriel meant. The attacks seemed to follow circular patterns, evenly spaced out. Someone or something was organising the movements of orcs and wolves, their movements were not random, and their patterns made sense if they were indeed search patterns.

"We need more information. The rangers will play a vital role in this, you can come and go unseen almost anywhere amongst men." Halbarad nodded, this was true.

"We must also inform Mithrandir, his help is vital. Otherwise, we must do something about the spiders in Southern Mirkwood. They are becoming a real threat, not only to Thranduil's people but also to all travellers. I would suggest that we sent a large force and try to reduce their numbers to the point where they cannot do any damage for many years."

Elrond said: "I will come with some of our warriors. This should be an effort by all elves."

Both Galadriel and Thranduil nodded in agreement. And so the decision was taken that as soon as it could be arranged, Elrond would bring some of his warriors to Lasgalen. The combined forces of Thranduil and Elrond would fight their way through the northern part of Mirkwood, trying to clean out as much evil as possible. At the old Forest Road the force from Lothlorien would meet them, and together they would try to fight and kill as many dark creatures as they possibly could in Southern Mirkwood. All three sons of Elrond and Legolas volunteered for this campaign. Both of their fathers sighed with worry and exasperation. But then, they would go as well, so they could hardly deny this adventure to their sons.

The Council ended late in the afternoon. When everyone was leaving, Galadriel asked Thranduil to stay. During the entire meeting, they had been polite but cool to each other.

"Thranduil, many years ago I have done your son a great injustice. He is beautiful, inside and out. And it really does not matter what colour his eyes are," she said, remembering her insensitive remark about Legolas when he was a toddler.

"No, it does not," Thranduil said, turning away from her. He could and would not forget Galadriel's rejection of his wife. The hurt of that went too deep. He was prepared to be polite to Galadriel and cooperate with her, he even respected her knowledge and statesmanship, but he had no desire for small talk.

"Thank you for organising this Council. It was necessary. Please accept my excuses, it has been a long day. We will not impose on your hospitality any longer than necessary and will leave as soon as my warriors are fully recovered."

Galadriel simply nodded, and sighed. She realised that by objecting so much to Thranduil's marriage all this time ago she had lost a friend and the good will of an important ally. Perhaps time would bring healing here, too. She watched Thranduil leaving, his back stiff with suppressed resentment.

Somehow the topic of marriage reminded her of a conversation with Elrond she had had the previous evening. Elrond had asked her directly whether she had suggested to Arwen a match with Legolas. Galadriel had not denied the fact, and had told Elrond her reasons.

Elrond had simply nodded, smiled, and said: "I do not think these two are suitable, and I do not wish to condemn either Arwen or Legolas to a loveless marriage. I also believe that in personality these two are very poorly matched, and would not even be able to find contentment." Galadriel had then told him that she had had a similar impression after having seen more of Legolas.

They had then gone on to discuss Legolas' relationship with Estel. She had told Elrond that she felt strongly that a stop she be put to it. Both Legolas and Estel needed to marry, to continue their respective bloodlines. But Elrond had asked her whether she had not felt how strongly committed the two were to each other, and that he felt that in the end happiness was more important than heirs. They had not come to an agreement on the topic.

Galadriel admitted to herself that one of the things she very much appreciated about her son-in-law was that they always retained respect for each other, even if they disagreed at times. Even though much younger than herself in years, Elrond was truly wise, and she acknowledged this.

Later that evening, Estel and Legolas sat in the branches of one of the mallorn trees away from the elven city. After the lengthy meeting, they had escaped with a small bag of food and drink, and were now taking their refreshments in companionable silence.

They sat in the tree for a long time, until night fell and the stars began to shine. As it became cooler, they moved closer together, holding each other for warmth and comfort.

**Epilogue**

Many years later.

Legolas knelt at the foot of Haldir's grave. He could not believe that Haldir was truly dead, that they would not meet again. Ever. He had cried so much that he now felt completely drained. In all the long years since their first meeting in Lothlorien, Legolas had never forgotten that one kiss that he had shared with Haldir, and the many unsaid things that went with it.  
Aragorn came up behind him and place his hands on Legolas' shoulders.

"Come, Legolas. There is nothing more you can do for him. I know what he meant to you – I am so sorry. He was a good friend to me, too."

Legolas looked up briefly. He was very pale and his eyes were red. He would never show himself to anyone but Aragorn in such a state. "Do you really know what he meant to me, Estel?" Legolas deliberately used Aragorn's elven name, the name they used between them in intimate moments.

Aragorn looked at Legolas seriously. "Yes, Legolas, I do. Since we first met him, you were in love with him. I think he was with you, too. I have always known and have wondered many times why you stayed with me. He had so much to offer – a life with your own kin, you could have bonded with him, and you could have shared his life much more than you ever could have mine. And yet I know that you stayed true to me, or at least I think you did. It made me love you even more."

Legolas returned Aragorn's serious gaze. "Yes, I loved him. Or perhaps it is better to say a part of me loved him. There was once, and only once, a time when we kissed." Legolas voice sounded choked by grief as the memories became overwhelming. "It could have easily turned into much more. But I realised that I loved you too much to give you up and I could not and did not want to hurt you. Haldir never reproached me for this decision although I know he cared much for me. But he respected you as much as he did me, and did not want to hurt either of us."

Legolas expected Aragorn to be shocked by this confession. But the man only smiled and embraced Legolas. "I had guessed a long time ago that something like this had happened, but I also knew that you had not lain with him. I do not think you would have been able to hide this from me, I know you too well."

At that comment, Legolas smiled a sad little smile. He stood up and turned into Aragorn's embrace. They stood together at their friend's grave for a long time, both pondering what would have happened if Legolas had chosen differently all these years ago.

**THE END**

I have enjoyed writing this story and would like to thank all of you who have reviewed over the weeks. It has been a pleasure to read your reviews and at times they have kept the plot bunny going. Until we meet again!

_All good things must come to an end_.


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